Sara Turns 21
by Sultry Sweet
Summary: The title comes from the album "The Donnas Turn 21". Basically it's what it says. Sara is turning 21 and Catherine is there for the party alongside Grissom. I changed the way Catherine and Sara met. Cath/Sara Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**_I know I have my first fic still going, but this little idea came to play in my head. I'm hoping I'm far enough along to be able to balance the two out and post for the both of them without much wait. :) So...enjoy the first chapter and let me now what you think!_**

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing!_**

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"Gil, what the hell are we doing in San Francisco," Catherine asked as they entered the party hall. She was thoroughly confused and waiting for a damn good explanation.

"Just follow my lead. We have to attend this party thing. There are only a few banquets a year, sometimes only annually. Besides, there are going to be people fro several other labs in the country here. Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Vegas, and of course the home team are all here tonight."

Catherine raised her eyebrows, never having heard Grissom use sports term before now. She kind of liked seeing Grissom out from behind the microscope and in 'Let's get this over with' mode. Sure, it wasn't the most appealing, but at least it showed how human he was since all he ever did was talk about the evidence and his bugs.

"Frisco is my kind of town," she absent mindedly commented as she saw two men, who seemed to be dating, with linked arms walking across the empty dance floor. "I can't believe we couldn't take the whole team with us. I want my boys to enjoy themselves instead of having to be ordered around by Ecklie, plus, Greg's sense of humor makes trips so much better and more stress relieving."

"Well, maybe you'll find something here to replace him while you're away because they're not coming. We shouldn't even be here to represent the lab because we're so short handed at this point."

"Yeah, Gil, but it seems we're always short handed." Catherine rolled her eyes and scanned the room. She noticed the crowd was boring and there were only wallflowers. "Are you looking for someone in particular?"

She noted his facial expression, one he used to examine nothing more than evidence, body language, and maybe trying to decipher social code. He waited a minute before turning to pay even half of his attention to her.

"Huh?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes before repeating herself. "I asked if you were looking for anyone."

"Oh, yeah…one of my friends is supposed to be here, but I can't seem to find her."

"_Her_?" Catherine was conspicuously shocked. She figured Grissom went home and enjoyed his pet cockroaches without the love and affection most people felt they needed, like Catherine felt she needed.

"Yeah, her name is Sara. I met her at Berkeley about a year ago during one of my lectures. Hell of a student…certainly intrigued me with her questions and the knowledge about my discussion before sitting in the class."

He was smiling, Catherine noted. She watched as his eyes widened with amazement as she was sure they did the first time he met her from the way he described it. She thought how great this girl had to be for Grissom to grin at anything except for a break in a case. She figured Grissom had a pretty good taste in people to get acquainted with since he didn't really talk to many people, but then she thought again about how smart she sounded.

_I'm not sure I'll like a showoff. If she has a higher IQ than the highest IQ having person I know, I'll probably hate her. What if he likes her because of her smarts that demonstrates she doesn't have a social life or anything to that extent? Damn, I guess I'll have to wait and find out. _

She was sure from her stripping days she was not straight, but in fact bisexual. It was a good place to be because then you could pass as normal but be what society still seemed to consider a freak. It was a great way to hide from the rest of the world in that way and even still, it was nice to know she could enjoy the company of both sexes. She was sure she was more into women, but had never had any serious relationships with one. It had always been sex in between shows, trying hard not to get caught by their boss with a stripper friend from either another club down the block or at the same club she worked.

_Ah, those were the days when people went crazy every time they saw you step out on stage. Priceless faces staring up at you as you maybe teased the men by dancing close to a half naked dancer. Bonus if you had just given them the best orgasm they've ever had backstage before hand. _

Catherine let a grin creep across her face as she enjoyed the memories when Grissom excitedly jolted and threw his hand up, pointing to a group of girls in the distance.

"That's her, that's Sara," Grissom proudly presented his apparent friend.

"Well, maybe instead of standing here we could actually go talk to her," Catherine raised an eyebrow at her supervisor with the essence of a five year at an ice cream stand.

"Of course, but…maybe later…she looks busy."

Now he seemed timid and antisocial; her little awkward colleague she laughed at from time to time when showing signs of detachment. She didn't want to force him onto the beautiful brunette, so she observed patiently, much like a stalker in her opinion, Sara.

_Wow, he said he met her last year right? She couldn't be any older than twenty three, that's for sure. Damn, I love them when they're young. Fuck, I promised myself I wasn't going to be creepy!_

"Do you want to dance or something? Maybe liven this crowd up," Catherine pulled herself away from her rapidly turning naughty thoughts and looked at Grissom who was debating going over to his friend.

"What? Oh, um, no. I'm not the dancing type, and Sara's the party starter…not me."

"Well, I would hope she is. I mean, come on, Gil…she's only twenty three, right?"

"She turns twenty one later this week, which is why I'm glad I got the board to extend our stay."

"So you could watch your twenty one year old girlfriend drink you and every other man at the bar under the table?"

_Wait, did he really just say she was only twenty?! Shit, I think my thoughts are going to consume me to the point where I'm going to have to excuse myself then maybe pleasure myself!_

"No, she's going to have this huge party…but it won't be at a bar. She invited me to hang out with her closest friends at this huge house."

"Mansion sized?"

"I'd say. She drove my past it one time. Her brother has a millionaire kind of friend, but he's the most compassionate man Sara says she's ever met."

"Jeez, has she screwed him yet?"

"What are you talking about," Grissom focused tightly on Catherine, bewildered and a bit upset, maybe even jealous as Catherine saw fit.

"Well, the way she complemented him and the fact that her party is going to be there…it doesn't seem like she's his sex kitten to you?"

"No! It doesn't sound like that at all!"

She could sense his anger, especially since she noticed the steam coming out of his ears and his laud tone that could cut the music and put the party slash banquet completely at a stand still.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend her or anything. It's just that…I get paid to investigate and I'd say it's a good guess." She put her hands up defensively and walked on eggshells with her words. She really didn't want to start something with him for two main reasons: one, he was her boss and friend and the tension would do them no good and two, it was a bit of a working vacation, but a vacation at that and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest of its potential.

"That's okay," he started to calm down. "I'm sure you were just making an observation."

"Yeah…now tell me, is she seeing anyone? Mainly you," Catherine didn't even try to be subtle.

"I love your bluntness," Grissom sarcastically stated, half turning toward Catherine, still paying most of his attention to the brunette.

"I haven't seen her with anyone and I know she's not with me."

"Well…you haven't seen her in a year, so maybe you haven't seen her, but she _is _seeing someone."

"No, she would've mentioned it. We always e-mail each other."

"So…you two are that close, are you now," Catherine grinned throughout her teasing. She jabbed her elbow gently into Grissom to show she was joking, but he wasn't finding the joke all too funny. He wasn't a very comical person in any kind of way which made him a loser to Catherine, but because of that, he was adorable at times.

"I think I'm ready to go talk to her," he said through gritted teeth, obviously holding back a comment, and turning to find Sara had moved to the dance floor with a number of friends.

_And most of them are girls, _Catherine mused. _She seems like a people person if not _extremely _friendly. _

Her grin was something that went unnoticed by the distracted and disappointed Grissom. She honestly could not control the looks contorting her face. She was too intrigued with the dancing wild cat.

_Be _my _sex kitten, _Catherine entertained herself, licking her lips as if anything could arise between this young girl and her. _Hot damn, though, is she fresh for the picking. Ugh, since when did I get to be such an inconsiderate ass? I feel like one of the numerous amounts of pigs that have tried picking me up in the bars back home. _

She then shut herself up when she saw Sara dip low with a female friend of hers in back. The two of them seemed to be the closest out of the group. The girl behind Sara had jet black hair and definitely seemed up for anything, but Catherine couldn't shake the feeling of only wanting Sara.

_God, the images are so strong. The form of her body, those curves, I can see her writhing underneath me…_begging _for more. She screams my name at the top of her lung until I'm done with her, then she becomes a complete trooper and flips me onto my back. Oh, God she's good. Holy mother of God, she grins then leans in, or is it down since she's on top of me? Whatever, she kisses me, her tongue running against mine. Her left hand roams down my side ever so lightly I can hardly feel anything; it gives me goose bumps. Her right forearm is her leverage, holding up all of her weight as she lowers her head to my not too patiently awaiting breasts. Damn, I'm doing it again!_

Without missing a beat, Catherine escaped her thoughts only to be greeted by the surreal image of Sara grinding on her black haired friend. Another thought flashed into her mind as quick as a newly lit flame and was at the imagery yet again.

_I'm afraid this is going to be unhealthy. I haven't even officially met her and already I'm fantasizing about her unzipping my pants with her teeth, her tongue gliding in between my folds, once she finally quits teasing me she plunges two fingers…now three, Oh fuck! Stop it, Catherine, she's too young for you anyway. _

"Gil, I'm getting tired of having to wait for you to grab a pair and introduce me. Screw her friends, she's the one you want to talk to. Not to mention, her closest friends are going to be at the party."

Grissom knew the red head had a point and didn't want to ignore the fact, but he was a little nervous and given the situation, Catherine tried her hardest to understand it all.

"Fine, let's go drag her away from all the fun she's having so she can talk to boring old me."

"Is age seriously the only reason why you're so nervous about all this? Come on, Gil, at least you're not the only one at least ten years older than her."

_Damn, now I'm insecure about my age. Going up there to meet her with all those young people…it's definitely nerve racking. _

"You're right," Grissom admitted after a beat. "Besides, it's either now or never because by the end of the night, she'll have done it all."

He looked at her with admiration, adoration and smiled at her natural beauty. She was gorgeous, cute, spunky, and was all in if you were playing poker. She was everything Catherine knew she was and even more so when she was Sara's age.

_Ten years, so what? It's not that bad. Gil is the one who should be freaking out, not you. And don't forget, you _are _a people person, _Catherine tried talking herself down.

Grissom spoke through his eyes to Catherine, trying to convey that he was ready to approach the group. She nodded warily and swallowed down the lump that had quickly built up in her throat. She tugged at the hem of her shirt as if to straighten out wrinkles that had formed, though she knew damn well there were no wrinkles.

Following her friends lead, she headed out onto the dance floor, trying her best to look confident. She shook out her hair a little more as they closed in on the group letting lose. Once she had done that, she felt at home with her self and winked at the first guy that noticed the two of them walking over. He smiled back and jutted his head upward, silently saying, "I dig you."

She felt ten times better now that she had one person from the young crowd pulled into her gaze. Now all she had to do was hope Sara was friendly in all the ways Catherine needed her to be.

Grissom tapped the brunette on the shoulder as easily as he could without causing much contact and she turned around. Her, at the moment, dark brown eyes captivated Catherine beyond repair and sent a shiver down her spine.

_God, I could get used to seeing those next to me in the morning…and after sex…and before sex…and _during _sex. Oh, I should stop myself now. _

"Hey, Gil," Sara yelled above the music which was loud, but not as it would be if you were at a club, and definitely not a club in Vegas. She closed the space between them, what little there had been in the first place, and tightly welcomed him into her, Catherine was sure, warm embrace. "It's so good seeing you!"

Her smile made Catherine weak in the knees, the nice gap between Sara's teeth attracting Catherine more than she ever thought possible. She even felt a bit jealous that Grissom was able to hug such an incredible looking young woman. She put on her best smile and waited for the two non-stop huggers finish getting re-acquainted.

"Hi, Sara," Grissom wore a dumbfounded smile that made him look like an awkward ten year old with a sweet and innocent crush. His voice was soothing in a way that it wasn't and only showed how much of a dork he really was, but Catherine found it reassuring that Sara managed not to pick on him for being so childish. It gave her hope that if she ended up being as bad that Sara would be polite about it and pretend Catherine wasn't such a dope.

"Who's your friend," Sara held her smile and turned her attention toward Catherine who smiled largely now that Sara directed those amazing brown eyes at her.

"Sara, this is Catherine. Catherine, meet Sara," Grissom made loud introductions over the music.

"Nice to meet you, Catherine," Sara held out her hand for an ordinary greeting.

"Likewise," Catherine glowed, extending her arm and taking Sara's hand in hers.

_Shit, I'm going to start up with those damn fantasies of mine! Quick, say something…anything to get you from making contact with her. _

"Um, my friends and I are going to be little party starters and trouble causers for a while so you could get comfortable at our table until we have our fill of fun," Sara continuously smiled, her attention back on Grissom, making Catherine relax but also making her smile fade.

"Okay, thanks. Oh, and since she's going to be with me this entire trip…do you think she could come along to your birthday party?"

"Sure, the more the merrier and any friend of yours is a friend of mine. You have a great judge of character in my opinion since you never get out."

Catherine caught that comment and smiled before jumping into the conversation. "Oh my God, I've been thinking the same thing...maybe even told him once or twice, but he never blushes when I say it."

Catherine devilishly grinned at Grissom's expense. Sara smiled and put on a sympathy face.

"Aw, my poor blushing Gilbert," she teased, rubbing her thumb over his check a few times before letting it run down to his jaw line then dropping the hand down at her side.

Grissom felt he needed to excuse himself and did a choppy turning maneuver as though he didn't want to leave but was embarrassed far too much to stay. Catherine felt a bit guilty, mouthed 'Sorry', and was more than willing to make up for that tiny moment she created by escorting him to the table they would be sitting at while Sara and her friends played around a little more, but the brunette had other plans for the older woman.

"Catherine," Sara reached out and grabbed the red head's wrist. "Why don't you let Grissom take care of himself for a little and come out with us?"

"What do you mean come out?"

"Well, we're already out, but dancing! It'd be one way to get to know a person." Her smile was infectious and had Catherine smiling when she saw Sara's front teeth, the space between included in the reason for the CSI's widening smile.

"I don't want to intrude," Catherine shyly stated.

"Oh, please, you wouldn't be a burden or anything. We all just want to have a good time before all the speeches."

The thought have never occurred to Catherine before until Sara said the word 'speeches'. It dawned on Catherine that if Sara was twenty one, or at least would be by the end of the week, that she still had one more year of college on her plate before she could work at a Crime Lab so what was she doing at the banquet.

"Sara…I don't mean to sound harsh or anything like that, but…why are you here? You couldn't possibly be working at the Frisco lab considering your age."

"You know, everyone's always asked me about that and…honestly, it gets a little annoying, but I guess it's Grissom's fault for not informing you," she started. "I only work at the lab part time. I don't go out in the field or anything, but I do help with analyzing and processing that's done in the lab. Technically…I'm a lab rat, but I do all the stuff you do just without leaving the lab." She smiled again, but this time her teeth weren't revealed.

"Oh, how does that work out for you?"

"Ugh, boring because I don't get out, but other than that little fact…nicely. I love science, always have, and I'm really glad to be a part of the whole thing, you know? Get to know someone through their untimely death to speak for them…it's cool and I love me my justice. Not to mention, I think the justice system really lacks and I want to try my best to fix that. I figure…the best way to do that is from the inside."

_There it is. God, I love your smile, all of it. That gap is so sexy on you. Anyone else that came up to me with one certainly holds no candle to how fucking hot it is on you and how _yours _makes me feel. _

Catherine felt warmth run throughout her entire body and smiled brightly. How much longer could she hold out with everything running through her head? This Sara character seemed to be growing on her and she only knew her for all of maybe fifteen minutes.

"So…what do you say? Will you dance with us…with me?"

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**_So? I know it's a cliff hanger, but as much as I hate them...I love them! :) It keeps everything going in my opinion and the suspence in cliff hangers always kill me to the point where I can't wait anymore. _**

**_Give me your honest opinion! You know I love to get feedback, positive or negative! ;)_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Okay, this chapter has more of Sara in character than out thanks to SwedFacepainter. :) I don't want to go too deep into Sara's past though, but eventually it will present itself. So...enjoy chapter 2!_**

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Sara's hand guided Catherine further out onto the dance floor and Catherine was a nervous wreck. She gathered up all of her thoughts, took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a quick moment, and when she threw them open gulped down her fears. She relaxed noticeably and put on a smile as genuine as they came from her.

Once they found their place in the center of the floor with her friends spread around them as if in a circular pattern, Sara used her grip on Catherine's hand to turn the red head to face her. She smiled at the happy Catherine and let go of her hand, swaying to the music. Catherine quickly found the beat and picked up dancing, matching Sara's flow.

"For someone who really didn't want to come out and dance, you're damn good at it," Sara continuously smiled, yelling over the music.

"Well, I was an exotic dancer when I was younger," Catherine felt she needed to justify her moves. She soon regretted coming out with that information because had yet to discover if Sara was everything she hoped.

"Wow, that's cool. I'm a bit of a feminist and think that's a little demeaning, but I'm guessing you didn't find that lifestyle too fulfilling."

Catherine smiled her relief and felt a hell of a lot better now that Sara seemed to be as amazing as she pictured. "No…I didn't, but it paid the bills, so I did it for some time."

Sara danced closer to Catherine and rested her hands on the older woman's hips. She pulled them flush together and put one of her own legs between Catherine's, forcing Catherine to do the same to her. Their bodies movements significantly slowed, but they kept dancing.

"I hope you don't mind," Sara leaned in to talk into Catherine's right ear. "There are a group of guys, I'm assuming are from Arizona, staring over at us. If they see something they like…I'm sure they'll want to join in the fun."

When Sara showed her face to Catherine, having finished her explanation, she watched to see where Catherine was at emotionally. Worry and fear starting to show in her expression when Catherine didn't respond.

"Oh…um," Catherine stumbled on her words when she realized Sara wanted to make sure she was okay with their position. "No, it's fine…but I thought you said you were a bit of a feminist?"

"I am, but this isn't all for the boys," she winked, making sure Catherine understood the subtext.

_Oh, boy, _Catherine inwardly freaked out.

"Perfect," Catherine had no control over her wicked grin and the words she thought running out of her mouth.

_Damn it, I don't think that's what she meant!_

"I'm glad," Sara purred into Catherine's ear, needing to be close to get her message across.

"Sara," one of the brunette's friends called out, approaching rapidly with a guy friend of hers.

Sara whipped her head around to see said friends and let go of her sexy act, turning friendly and ready to be elsewhere.

"Vic and I are going to the bar…want anything," the black haired girl Sara previously danced with, asked.

"Yeah, but I'll get it myself, Bo." Sara faced Catherine and leaned in again to have Catherine better hear her. "I'm going over to the bar with them, you want to come?"

_Hell yeah, I want to cum, but I'd never tell you that. _

"Um, no thanks…I think I'll stay with Gil at the table. He looks lonely,"' Catherine spoke into Sara's ear.

"Okay, I think he's needs the company anyway. I'll be back at the table in about twenty minutes."

"Fine by me, I'll see you then."

Sara nodded and took Bo's hand, fleeting to the bar with her and Vic.

_I wonder what Bo is short for, _Catherine let her thoughts wander as she made it back to the table.

"What happened? It looked like you two were really getting to know each other," Grissom asked, majorly confused.

"Oh, well, her friends wanted something to drink and then she wanted to go with them to get her own. She asked me if I wanted to join them, but I opted to hang out with you instead."

"You should've gone with her," Grissom pushed the issue.

"Says the guy who after one small comment that made him blush himself into embarrassment and chose to sit things out within the first five minutes or so of being here," Catherine picked on him and his surfacing hypocrite attitude.

Grissom reluctantly nodded and darted his eyes to focus on Sara getting cozy at the bar. He sorrowfully sighed like she was everything he wanted, but knew he couldn't have. Catherine felt his pain and sadness, but she tried extremely hard to get over it or at least not reveal so much about herself in front of near strangers and actual strangers.

"Is there something you're not telling me," Catherine asked, rubbing Grissom's shoulder in a supportive way.

"Yes, but it's my personal life that has nothing to do with you…so I'm not saying a word."

"Fine, but when it eats you up inside, devouring ever fiber of your being…know that you had your chance," she tried to trick him into confessing. She knew she was turning into the hypocrite now, but as long as Grissom didn't believe that fact she was safe.

Grissom sighed again, but this time it sounded as if it was defeat before he burst into a fit of honesty. "Ever since I met her…I've felt like spending more time with her. I feel like a creep seeing as how she'll barely be twenty one on the seventh and I'll be thirty five in August."

Catherine gave Grissom a peck on the cheek and sympathized. He had five years on her so she had a better chance of being with Sara.

_That is if Sara was into women, _Catherine thought with an inward sigh of frustration.

Ten minutes passed before Sara and her two friends arrived back at the table, three drinks in Sara's hand and one drink per person for her friends. She smiled and set a bottle of Bud Light in front of Catherine and a glass of scotch in front of Grissom.

"Sorry, Catherine…I didn't know what you liked so I just got you a plain one," Sara smiled, hoping her choice was fine.

"Oh, that's okay, Sara, you didn't have to get me anything," Catherine smiled back, happy that Sara even thought about her at all and they had only known each other for a half an hour at most. "Although, if I'm going to be honest with you…I like your Heine."

Sara devilishly grinned sat in the chair next to Catherine. Grissom's jaw dropped and hit the table with a loud thud Sara immediately noticed. She giggled and pointed it to Catherine.

"I think you made him jealous…and I _know _you've thrown him into a state of shock," Sara laughed down another sip of her beer.

Turning to face Grissom she held her smile and gently touched his wrist in reassurance. "I meant her beer not her ass."

Grissom snapped out of his haze and threw his gaze at the green bottle Sara had seconds ago set in front her o n the table. He nodded then lifted his eyes to look into Sara's deep brown ones. He forced half a smile as she smiled genuinely at him. Catherine didn't mistake the winkle in Sara's eyes and swallowed, afraid she now might be wrong about having a better chance with her.

Sara cut the eye contact and turned her head in Catherine's direction. Her smile lightly faded probably from having to smile too much in one night and blinked in a short batting-your-eyelashes way. "Do you want a sip?"

Catherine blinked three times before answering, baffled by how beautiful Sara was to her.

"Um, no, I'll have the Bud. Don't waste your drink on me."

"No, it's not a waste. Come on, I'll even help you with that Bud." Sara took the bottle and slid it across the table in the guy, Vic's, direction.

"Much love," he said to both Sara and Catherine, raising the bottle in a mock toast.

Catherine lifted her right slightly off the table to show her gratitude, gesturing her "thank you" differently than Sara who sharply inclined her head with a smile and extended her bottle without hitting it against his.

"Now that I have no drink, I'll take a sip," Catherine faked a pouty and begrudging look before taking the Heineken.

Sara watched Catherine intently as she parted her lips and lightly touched them to the opening of the bottle. She pressed her lips harder against the glass and tipped the half empty beer back.

Catherine felt as though she were being watched and looked over at Sara who seemed lustful. She curled the corners of her lips to form a grin and with her right leg reached out.

Sara soon felt Catherine's foot running up her right calf and clenched her fists. She didn't want to give away how much she loved Catherine's foot went, the harder a sensation it was to resist.

_Am_ _I really doing this, _Catherine though, shocked she would be going so far. _I guess I don't have anything to worry about because look at her adorable!_

Catherine smiled and lowered the beer Sara offered to share. She glanced around the table as her foot was on Sara's inner thigh, waiting to go one step further. They all seemed oblivious to the two of them so she slid her foot faster than she had on her way up, right before Sara's core. The brunette bit her bottom lip to hold back the whimper, unclenched her fists, put plenty of reassure on her forearms against the table, fluttered her eyes shut and to top it all off sharply inhaled.

Catherine pushed the beer back into Sara's hand, which caused the younger wolman to jolt her eyes open from the cold, wet bottle in her hand. After Catherine had Sar's complete attention, she slowly brought her foot back down onto the floor.

_Damn, that was hot, _Catherine tried to control herself.

Sara attempted to quickly regulate her erratic breathing when Grissom finally turned to Catherine and Sara. Catherine fought back laughter when she realized her boss analyzing them like evidence.

"What is it, Gil," Catherine asked, trying to wipe the smile off her face.

"I need to use the restroom," he tried to excuse himself from the table after another ten seconds of studying them.

Sara was too focused on her breathing to watch Grissom walk across the room to his desired destination, but Catherine on the other hand worried as she followed him with her eyes.

_Ugh, I swear that man is so difficult. If I didn't know better I'd say he has a little crush on the girl I'm after. Oh my God, will you listen to me? Who am I kidding getting myself into this? I have a four year old to worry about and my divorce with Eddie was finalized a mere _two months ago_! I can't do this and I know it, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun while I'm here, can it?_

**21HERESHECOMES/21HERESHECOMES/21HERESHECOMES/21HERESHECOMES/21HERESHECOMES/21HERESHECOMES**

No more than fifteen minutes after Grissom returned from the men's room, the speeches jam packed with "vital" information began. Catherine found it hard to focus when all they were talking about was lab policy and new technologies that bored her endlessly because the Vegas lab had at least a third of all products mentioned.

Sara rested her chin on her palm and sighed. She didn't seem too excited about anything the man making the speech was saying either. Catherine read into Sara's emotion a bit deeper and became concerned something was wrong. She watched as patiently as she could as Sara leaned into her friend, Bo, said something into her ear, and discreetly stepped away.

Catherine waited a few seconds before, without warning got up and followed her out of the building. She looked left and right for the brunette and sighed in relief when the younger woman caught her eye on the side of the building, puffs of smoke signaling her.

"Sara?" Catherine crept up to the left side of the building, trying to ease herself into whatever situation she was about to put herself in; caution tending to be her middle name most of the time these days.

She rounded the corner and saw the young brunette leaning against the brick building with a cigarette between her right index and middle fingers, another puff of smoke polluting the air straight from Sara's mouth.

"Sorry you have to see me like this," she honestly apologized first thing.

"Why are you out here?" Catherine didn't care Sara was smoking only that she looked absolutely discouraged and overwhelmingly sad.

"I needed room to breathe. I felt like I was suffocating in there so I came out to relieve the stress."

"Is there something wrong?"

"There's always something wrong…at least with me anyway."

Catherine hated to hear Sara scoff at the last part of her sentence and cringed.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Sara took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled before looking into Catherine's ocean blue eyes, tears forming in her hazelnut colored eyes.

"No, this is something no one can help me with…I should've stopped trying so hard…because after a while," a singe tear was shed from her left eye. "After a while it only hurts."

Catherine frowned and felt Sara's pain, though she didn't understand why Sara was hurting. She stepped closer to Sara and pulled her into a hug, snatching the cigarette from the brunette and putting it out while she supplied comfort.

"It's okay…let it out." Catherine rubbed her right hand up and down Sara's down Sara's back and patted between her shoulder blades.

"I hardly know you…I shouldn't put this on you," Sara pushed her out of Catherine's embrace.

_Why is she being so cold? Does she normally push people away like this? Grissom's still around after a year…so I don't think that's it. _

"I don't care how long I've known you, I'm trustworthy. Plus, I've been told I'm a good listener."

Catherine lightly smiled and held out her hand to Sara. She felt warmth spread throughout her body when Sara weakly smiled and took the older woman's hand.

"Take me to the Golden Gate Bridge," she demanded though without a hostel tone. Catherine tightened her lips, making them thinner and nodded before walking hand in hand with Sara to the car she and Grissom had taken from Vegas.

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**_So, am I going in the right direction? Let me know! And I have a plan, so don't think I'm changing things as I go along. I'm going to get to the birthday party and it's going to be fun, so REVIEW! Pretty please? :) And thanks for the reviews so far. _**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Okay, I know it's been a while since m last update...at least 3 days if I'm not mistaken which isn't that bad to me, but on Sunday to top off every other excuse as to why I didn't get back to writing, although I did write a little when I was over my friend's house this weekend, I went to the beach to celebrate her birthday. Needless to say, I got a really bad sunburn on my face and shoulder that has made me not want to do much but bitch about how sensitive my skin is. :( Anyway, here's chapter 3 and chapter 13 for Lips Like Morphine will be up shortly. :) Enjoy!**_

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They sat in the car, parked on the street only a little ways away from the bridge. Neither one spoke, but Catherine was dying to understand Sara's sudden mod swing and turned onto her right side to face the brunette.

"You seemed to e having a good time. What changed?"

Sara turned onto her left side to face Catherine and heavily sighed. "I just met you. You're like a complete stranger to me and I can't even tell my closest friends what happened."

_Sounds like she's headed for a break down. This must be deep if she can't even tell that Bo character she seemed al too friendly toward. _

"Sara…if I promise not to judge, laugh, or anything else…will you tell me?"

"It's not something I can just come out and say, Catherine. My entire childhood revolved around the series of events that catapulted into this big skeleton I've never been able to get out of my closet."

Catherine nodded and sighed, trying to relieve stress she didn't know she had until exhaling her large breath. She faced forward and spaced out, focusing on the bay's water below the bridge.

The calming effect f the dark blue and polar liquid was shared between the two women before Sara opened the passenger side door and headed toward the open and off to the side of the road before the bridge. She pushed down by the bay and took her spot on a patch of grass.

Catherine furrowed her brows before opening her car door and exiting slower than Sara had. She did as the lanky brunette had done and picked a spot on the ground to sit. She watched out of the corner of her eye how Sara eased her way slowly outstretched on her back on the damp grass.

After mimicking Sara one final time and laying on the grass beside her they were still in yet more moments of golden silence.

"I went to the hospital a lot when I was younger," Sara started explaining as vaguely as she could, keeping her eyes focused on the San Francisco sky. "I had no idea how screwed up it was to be a frequent patient and by the time I did, it was for sure as hell too late."

Catherine didn't expect anything more from the brilliant brunette and decided not to push by reaching for Sara's hand and taking it in her own. She turned her head to the right to see Sara looking at her hopefully but with much confusion clouding those extremely sensitive hazel eyes.

"It's okay. I'm going to hurt you. I'm here to let you know you have someone to tell these heavy things to when your heart can't handle the brutal beating it's been taking for years. And just to let you now…I'd wait forever for you to trust me with this big secret of yours."

Sara flashed a stronger than weak smile and cuddled up to Catherine, ready to drape one of her legs over one of the red head's in their proximity. She let her head rest on the front of Catherine's shoulder and allowed the older woman to provide comfort by wrapping her right arm around Sara's waist.

"We should start heading back. I'm sure Grissom is wondering where you are right now," Sara flatly stated.

"Me? What about you? I think he knows I hate it when he looks out for me when he doesn't need t e, but you…he'll never stop caring about you"

"What makes you think he'll stop caring about _you_?" Plus, I thought you two were together."

"Whoa, you thought…" Catherine trailed off with wide eyes and rolled Sara onto her back and hovered over the younger woman. Everything below her waist line remained propped up while she had her arms on either side of Sara. "No, we've never even looked at other like that… I mean, there was this one time he commented on my ass, but it was a joke. He's completely head over heels for _you_."

Sara shook her head violently and squeezed her eyes shut as she fought back, to the best of her abilities, laughter. She wrapped her hands around Catherine's wrists that lay parallel to the middle of her side as if a person took their finger and ran it horizontal from Sara's belly button.

"No, he's not. He loves seeing me, but he takes care of me like a father does his daughter."

"I could've sworn I saw a glint in his eyes when he hugged you." Catherine's hands started to hurt and she tried to move to get comfortable, but failed miserably due to the fact Sara seemed to be trying to get onto her feet and slipped.

Sara kicked her leg under Catherine's ankle thus having her left leg between Catherine's legs and catching her off balance. Catherine couldn't support herself any further and fell onto Sara's lips. The impact was rough enough to chip a tooth, but fortunately for them they did no such thing.

Catherine laid her forearms on either side of Sara's shoulders for support and leaned more into the kiss. Sara only helped Catherine and lightly placed her hands on Catherine's hips, lifting the red head's shirt as she brought her hands ever so gently up to the sides of Catherine's breast.

"Mm…we…need to…get back," Catherine purred near a whisper between kisses.

When Catherine pulled herself enough away, Sara started to rethink what had happened. She cleared her throat and adjusted her shirt, tugging incessantly on it only until she felt it was straightened. She finally focused her eyes on Catherine's, both pools but one brown and the other blue.

"That can't happen again," Sara said in the firmest tone Catherine could ever recall hearing, understanding Sara was serious.

"Why can't it happen," Catherin asked purely out of curiosity and confusion with a pinch of worry.

"Grissom is the answer to that question… oh, and about what I told you? I think I'll be able to tell you later…just not right now."

"And I'm okay with that, but do Grissom or the others know?"

"Only Bo…which is why we're so close and why she's so overprotective."

Catherine nodded in comprehension and let Sara walk a certain amount of distance ahead. Once they made it back inside the car they immediately made their way back to the banquet in silence. Sara ran her hand through her hair as they pulled into the parking lot and hesitated to leave the car.

They sat idle in the lot for five minutes before Catherine had to open her mouth. "When do you want to go inside?"

"I don't know… I guess we could now." Sara finally looked at Catherine and faintly smiled. A matter of seconds passed before Sara undid her seatbelt and leaned in toward he smaller woman.

Catherine turned her head and realized what Sara said it couldn't happen again, but for the moment nothing mattered except for the bold and always beautiful brunette. She smiled seconds before Sara's lips crashed onto hers and slid the taller woman's hand farther up her thigh once Sara put it on Catherine's knee.

Both moaned and in their own way deepened the kiss. Sara reached over and undid Catherine's seat bet to let her roam freely about the car. Catherine. Once freed from her restraint, attacked Sara by swinging her legs over the arm rest and cup holders one leg at a time, fixing herself on Sara's lap.

"Mm…we have to…get back," Catherine fought to break their kisses. Instead of breaking free, Sara pulled her closer and ran her tongue over Catherine's and pushed her hands up her thighs and ass, groping Catherine.

"Come on, kitty Cat," Sara purred between kisses. "Take me."

Catherine moaned louder and longer, peeling the straps of Sara's dress off her shoulders. She felt a large pang in her stomach as a sign she should take control and stop all the touches, but couldn't find it in her to do anything even remotely similar to that. Her tongue glided across the top of Sara's and pressed her lower body harder against Sara's in one fluid motion. She then shot her right hand down to the hem of Sara's skirt and ran the material as far up as she needed to in order to get to the spot on Sara's inner thigh closest to the brunette's core.

Sara moaned and spread her legs a bit to allow Catherine easier access to her desired destination. She titled her head back slightly, breaking their kiss but leaving their lips close and brushing against each other every other pant she had let pass her swollen lips.

As Catherine was about to slip her fingers into Sara, there was a knock at the window that made the two jump and Catherine hurriedly pull back her hand. They both looked out the passenger side window to find a shocked pale white Grissom. He looked as cold as a dead body and Sara began to panic for some unknown reason.

"Shit! I knew I shouldn't have tried. Fuck!"

Catherine looked down at Sara who seemed to be having an anxiety attack and disregarded her boss standing outside the car to stroke the side of Sara's face and stands of hair that lay next to her hot cheek. "Why are you freaking out? I'm the one on top of you, so I should take most of his lecture."

Sara swallowed and violently nodded, tightly shutting her eyes closed. She tried to even her breathing, but was unsuccessful. Catherine rolled the window down and tried her best not to freak out herself.

"Grissom, do you think you could give us a second? Sara's having a panic attack," Catherine tried her hardest and effectively emotionless, stated the facts.

"Oh…um, sure, but…"

"We can talk later. Sara needs to calm down and you're really not helping," Catherine coldly spat at him before rolling up the window and turning back to Sara. "What do you need me to do to get you relax?"

"Um…I think…get off me," Sara lacked verbal skills and tried to be polite, but needed to get her point across before she passed out.

"Okay," Catherine obliged and sat back down in the driver's seat. She was turned to face Sara, giving the younger woman her space, but made sure she was lose enough to tell Sara in a non-verbal way she was there and ready and willing to do anything the brunette asked. "Anything else I can do?"

"Yeah," she whispered, still unable to control her breathing with her eyes still closed. "Kiss me again."

Catherine smiled and got out of her seat, leaning over and chastely kissing Sara. She backed off to see Sara's breathing remained unchanged and giggled and inwardly giggled, enjoying the sight.

"Again, but don't sugar coat it," Sara demanded, clenching and unclenching her fists that were rigidly at her sides.

"Okay," Catherine purred, now viciously grinning before she passionately pressed her lips to Sara's, opening her mouth to tell Sara it was alright to let her tongue play the game.

Sara took initiative and darted her tongue over Catherine's and noticeably relaxed under the older woman's touch. Catherine took a fistful of Sara's hair in her left hand and pulled Sara closer before soon releasing her hold on the taller woman.

"Much better," Sara chuckled when they separated.

"Glad to hear it… Now, why are you so worried about what Grissom has to say?" Catherine sat back in her seat for the second time in three minutes and waited for Sara's reply.

"Well, it's awkward every time he sees me with anyone, especially women. He at on time told me he didn't want to se me get hurt and then I needed money for college and bills that I had to pay. I know that didn't really flow, but…the thing is, I felt guilty for taking his money when he started paying for things. He kept writing me checks and the last thing a want is a sugar daddy. So, I figured the only way to not to feel so guilty is to reserve myself. I thought that maybe if I didn't put myself in a relationship or certain situations, but not be involved with Grissom that my problem would be solved. He's still giving me money that he should be using to buy his entomology books and things he needs to fund for, not me."

"Oh," Catherine barely managed to let slip from her lips. "Well…it's not that bad. I mean, you have to have some kind of personal life…other wise you'll end up stuck with him and really what's the point if you're not having sex and romance with the man?"

They shared a smile and Sara felt a lot better about everything than she had even before the panic attack. She leaned over and chastely kissed Catherine then turned to her car door and opened it in one smooth move. Catherine took that as I sign they were finally going back to the banquet and followed Sara's lead into the building, jogging to catch up to the younger woman to take her hand and intertwine their fingers.

Grissom watched them enter and wondered if maybe he was being too harsh. He intently focused on Sara's happy and glowing expression, seeing that she was having a good time that he felt he would hinder her from having with his attitude. He let the edge in himself die down and accepted his friend, much like a father's daughter growing up, needed, and more importantly _wanted, _to fly the coupe.

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**_I've said this before and I'll say it again...I LOVE reviews! So...click the button below and let me into your soul. Tell me what you think and I do apologize if this chapter was short for anybody. :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_You lucky and loyal readers ! :) I'm in Arkansas at the desk of a hotel room posting this just for you. I finally seized the laptop after a day of driving and I'm happy to say so! :) So, without prolonging it any longer... enjoy chapter 4 and be prepared in case I can't get on the laptop when we reach our final destination. :)_**

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The night carried on with little flirtation between Catherine and Sara and the party started to die down. Grissom was getting tired and was close to leaving, but he came with Catherine and was polite enough to wait until she said she wanted to leave.

"I'll see you Friday, right," Sara asked with a warm smile.

"Yeah, of course. I can't wait to see how drunk they get you," Catherine mimicked Sara's smile and looked over at Grissom who was lost in thought as he stared off at the dance floor. She tugged lightly on Sara's tank top sleeve and pointed at her supervisor.

"It's the cutest thing sometimes," Sara yelled above the music into Catherine's ear.

"I completely agree with you…but I think he wants to go. He's been patient for the last hour or so now and hasn't said anything about what happened in the car…so I think I should reward him. What do you think?"

"I think…"she looked over at her largely motioning friends, "I have to go anyway. He's my ride and he's leaving now, so I've got to go."

"Unless," Catherine reached out and grabbed Sara's forearm as she stood. "Unless you get a ride from us. Maybe we could get some real food?"

"Um…I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to, but my brother would flip if I didn't come home with the same people I came here with."

"Ah, I see. Then…I'll see you on Friday," she smiled.

"See you," she bent down and kissed Catherine on the cheek. "Bye Grissom."

Grissom turned and noticed Sara heading toward him. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah, I've got to go catch my ride and he's not very good at waiting so…I'll see you at my party." She smiled as she placed an equally light kiss as the kiss on Catherine's cheek on Grissom's and jogged over to her wildly smiling friend.

"Does this mean we can go now," Grissom asked Catherine from across the table.

She laughed and answered, "Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

--

In the hotel room, Grissom immediately fell asleep in his bed and started to snore ten minutes into his slumber. Catherine on the other hand had the worst time with trying to fall asleep. She was too excited about the end of the week to really focus on anything else but what happened between her and Sara that night.

She tossed and turned before settling on a thought about the lanky brunette. She smiled as she started to doze off into her fantasy.

_Sara is sitting in a chair, watching Catherine do one thing she knows she's good at, stripping. The red head was focused on getting over to Sara in her chair to properly give the birthday girl her present: a lap dance. _

"_Damn, kitty Cat, you look fucking sexy," Sara's mouth was agape as she reached out to pull Catherine by the panties closer to her. _

_All the older woman had left were her black lace panties and matching bra. If Sara liked it, she got it and there were no complaints so Catherine grinned and settled in Sara's lap. _

_The younger woman did anything but peel her eyes off Catherine and ran her hands ever so lightly up the red head's body. She looked into Catherine's electric blue eyes the entire time the older woman made a move or Sara touched a sensitive spot. _

_Wrapping her legs around Sara's waist, Catherine began to lose control of her body and the unsteady breathing set in before she brushed their lips together. Their ragged breaths hit each other's lips and made it harder for the two to keep their eyes locked. _

_Caving in, Catherine fluttered her eyes shut and leaned in to complete the kiss. Though the kiss was tender and slow, so shallow and chaste like, the intensity was beyond belief. As their lips pressed harder together, Catherine pushed her core against Sara's waist. _

"_Mm, Cath," Sara moaned at the sensation. "Do it."_

_At her command, Catherine obliged and lifted herself from Sara's lap and pulled the brunette onto her bed. _

"_What do you want me to do to you," Catherine whispered into Sara's ear before nibbling on the lobe. _

"_Oh, what you're doing right now…that's perfect," Sara managed to breathlessly answer. _

_Catherine let her hands roam down Sara's body and stopped at the hem of her shirt. The red head insisted the top come off by pushing it up Sara's body, her fingertips digging into Sara's smooth skin. Once Catherine had Sara's shirt over her taut breasts, she lowered her mouth to one and let her hot breath tantalize the twenty one year old. After a few shallow breaths, Catherine's parted lips made contact. At first they were short, peppering kisses, but soon the escalated into licks and bites with the occasional duty of sucking. _

_Countless minutes passed before Catherine moved on from the breasts, pulling the shirt over Sara's head. Once the shirt was flung to the floor, Catherine attacked Sara's lips with her own, almost instantly darting her tongue into Sara's warm and inviting mouth. A tiny battle between their tongues ensued and Catherine's hand fell down to Sara's pants, slowly unbuttoning and unzipping the brunette's jeans. _

"_Tell me what you can't stand teasing wise," Catherine purred as she hovered over Sara's body. _

"_Uh, light touches, not being touched…asking for it and having them continue to tease me," Sara panted. "Why?"_

_Instead of answering verbally, Catherine decided to rid Sara of her pants, bra and then panties. She saved the underwear for last because she was going to do everything Sara hated to frustrate the brunette. _

"_You're going to look so fucking adorable in a few seconds," Catherine snickered, reaching lightly down on Sara._

_She was about to run her hands carefully over Sara's core when Grissom's voice on the phone surfaced and reality overtook the red head. _

"Damn it," Catherine yelled as she jolted into a sitting position in her bed.

"What," Grissom asked, concerned and slightly panicked as he hung up the phone.

"Ugh, I just had the best fucking dream I've had in a long ass time and…ugh!"

Grissom watched his colleague and close friend head in a huff toward the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"What's gotten into her," Grissom asked himself aloud before shaking his head and continuing back to his suitcase to pick out some reading material for their next informative meeting.

--

Catherine could stay still no longer. Within twenty minutes of having to listen to some Gil Grissom senior model she was fidgeting and before settling on a daydream as part of a series in dreams about Sara.

Grissom noticed Catherine's movements and it made him nervous to say the least. He couldn't contain himself after two minutes of her panic tapping of her fingers against the table, her pouncing leg _under _the table and her constant sighs to demonstrate how agonizing she felt the man's presentation was as he "droned" on.

"Catherine," he reached out and lightly rested his hand over her forearm. "Relax will you?

"Sorry, Gil, I'm just…finding it hard to focus." She kept her act up but lessened the intensity of it.

"What is with you lately? Ever since we got here you've been a completely different person."

"Again I apologize. Look, I'm nervous and…a little exited to be going to Sara's party in three days. I haven't been to a party in who knows how many years. There's a lot to think about," she hardly made eye contact with him.

"Well, I'm not too psyched about it," Grissom sighed in defeat as he started to fiddle with the pamphlet they handed out at the commencement of the lecture.

"Why? It's a party…and you're still considerably young. _We're _still considerably young," she corrected herself, knowing there is only a five year age difference or so between the two of them.

"I don't want to go because it's Sara and her friends are kind of…well, I can handle Sara because she acts way too mature for her age sometimes, but her friends are another story."

"Why is that? Should I be worried," Catherine was only slightly joking when she asked.

"No, I think you'll fit in because you're a people person, but me? I've met a few of them before and they seem too…life living. They actually have almost nothing in common with Sara. I'm surprised that those are the kind of friends she prefers to make."

Now Catherine had panic written all over her face. She was about to sweat bullets with the fear that she could never have Sara, not completely anyway.

"Oh," Grissom quickly tried to reassure her. "It's nothing you can't deal with, Catherine. What I meant was…when I first met Sara she was so intelligent and the only life I assumed she had was education. One time I met maybe two of them, one turned out to be her girlfriend, and they were nice…but not the kind of people I can really understand. I figured those kind of people would bore her with all the knowledge she's packing away in that brain and it turns out she enjoys having 'normal' friends to just 'kick back' with."

Catherine was shocked at Grissom's explanation and it took her a minute before she closed her mouth in realization her jaw had hit the table. She had no idea these would be the kinds of things that crossed her colleague's mind.

"Um, quick question: how smart…_is _she exactly?"

"She's in the top five of her class. In my opinion… she's a genius," Grissom marveled.

"Wow…top five, huh? Damn she's gifted," Catherine said more to herself than anyone else.

"Yeah," Grissom absentmindedly concurred.

A few moments of silence passed as the two let their minds wander and sooner than expected, the lecture ended with a round of applause that Grissom and Catherine weren't a part of until the last of the claps were sounding due to previously being in their own little worlds.

--

"Mattie, you have to be nice," Sara argued and pleaded with her older brother at his place.

"Why should I be polite? Haven't I met this Gil guy anyway," Matt asked, extremely curious.

"No, I've just talked about him…a lot."

"Oh…so, crush? My little sister has a crush? This is too good," Matt wickedly grinned.

"Well…I do have a crush…just not on him," Sara smiled like she was a love sick fool with puppy dog eyes to top it all off.

"Is that so? What guy am I going to be beating up at your party, Sara Loraine?"

"Ugh, don't middle name me! I hate that, I always have," Sara groaned in disgust.

Matt only snickered at his sister's cute-factor.

"God, Sara…you're just too adorable when you're angry."

"I've been told it's a turn on," she smirked, paying Matt back for his attitude.

"What's his name," Matt tiredly repeated.

"It's not a 'him', Mattie," she blushed, recalling the incident in the car.

"Whoa, my little sister is going after another girl?"

"Excuse me, that's woman to you."

"A _woman_, huh? What, is she older than you?"

Sara looked at anything but her big brother. He immediately picked up on her avoidance and his jaw dropped to the floor, pointing a viciously yet playful finger at Sara.

"Oh…my…God, Sara! She is, isn't she? How _much _older?"

"Um…I'd rather not say," she pleaded the fifth.

"Oh, come on, baby sis, you have _got _to spill," he ordered with the famous Sidle grin.

"Fine, she's ten years, ten years older than me, okay?"

"Whoa, hell no! This isn't happening. You are _not _going to date someone that much older than you. No, I forbid it!"

"Mattie," she started to whine. "You can't control my life and I really like her so far. Please don't screw this up for me. I'll never forgive you if you do."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed in defeat. "Okay, but I'm going to tell you to be extra careful. You should know better than to let people in right away. Now…does she know about our past?"

"Yes, but not the details. I told her we had trouble, but I never mentioned you or what mom did…and I _definitely _didn't tell her about dad."

"Good, because I don't want anyone to know," Matt firmly stated.

"I know…but…I _want_ to tell her," Sara softly informed.

"Well, it's my past, too and I don't want to be judged… Not any more!"

Sara jumped when Matt started yelling. She attempted to hide her fear, but she couldn't shake how he grew up to be similar to their parents.

"Mattie, I'm not going to tell her…not yet… But what if I fall in love with her and things go in all the right directions? What if…we live together eventually, I mean, what do I do then?"

"You don't tell her," he refused to back down. "Besides, she'll never love you. Nobody will ever love you…except me. We have to stick together, remember?"

"Yeah," her voice crackled. She felt weak and defenseless. She didn't want to lose him again now that she had him back in her life. The brunette male was never the best brother, but he did what he could occasionally and since she met up with him two years ago, he'd been better about things.

"Alright, now that we've gotten that taken care off," he smiled, noticeably relaxing as he walked over to her and pulled his lanky little sister into a hug. "Let's get started on planning your party!"

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**_Thanks for sticking with the story this long. :) Don't forget how much I love reviews! ;)_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Here's the latest update. Sorry it took me so long and hopefully with my new laptop I'll be able to get things done and uploaded a lot quicker. Thanks to my aunt Sue!! :) Enjoy the chapter!_**

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The conference lasted short of three hours for Catherine and Grissom leaving the two to head back to their hotel room. They were tired yet bored and ready to do something, anything, else than what happened at the dull and extremely seemingly pointless.

"Ugh, I'm so glad we're out of there!" Catherine slumped into the chair next to the table a few feet from the beds.

"Believe it or not, I agree," Grissom tiredly shook his head as he set his things down by the sink outside the bathroom.

"Well, that's new," Catherine widened her eyes in shock a bit in her comment before shifting in the chair and quickly deciding to move to her bed. "So what's Sara really like?"

"What do you mean? You spent all night with her two nights ago."

"Yeah, but you've spent a year or two getting to know her. What's she really like?" Her eyes widened in excitement and she crouched forward to take a good listen.

"Um…I don't know. She's, uh, she's interesting. She'll never cease to amaze you and she's nice. I've never heard much about her unfortunate past, but I know it's bad and if you ever do anything to hurt her in attempts such as that night…I'll never forgive you."

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to tell me twice…but …you're not giving me much to go on. Tell me something personal about her…a personal observation of some sort," she waved her right hand carelessly about in front of her face.

"Alright," he sighed in defeat and tired frustration. "Uh, she crinkles her nose a little when she laughs. She hates talking about herself and definitely her past. Um, she thinks romantic comedies are ridiculous but watches them anyway. There are a lot of things you can notice on your own. She hates people that don't try to get to know her by asking her themselves. It makes her feel like they want to her what other people have to say about her and then judge whether or not they really want to spend a little time with her."

"Oh," Catherine craned her neck back, backing away and hoping she could press questions next time they saw each other. "Then I'll shut up and ask her later. I'm going crazy about tomorrow. I haven't felt this spark and this nervous since I first started dating Eddie."

"With Sara…you'll always feel that way," he admitted. "I know I even felt nervous about things with her, but it was never anything more than my love for her like she's family."

Catherine smiled before hearing Grissom's black brick of a cell phone annoyingly scream. She watched the bothered man pull the phone out of his tuxedo pocket.

"Hello," he answered. His demeanor changed for the better once the person on the other line began to talk. "Sara, hey…how are you? ...I'm good. So are you working on getting things ready for your party? ...Oh, okay."

Catherine furrowed her brows, confused that Grissom was headed toward her with the phone extended to her.

"She wants to talk to you," he answered her unmentioned question.

Catherine mouthed "oh" and stood from the bed. She took a few steps toward Grissom and took the phone.

"Hello?" A few moments of hurried explaining and Catherine relaxed, happy to be talking to the brunette. "Oh, yeah…that's not a problem, but…right now?"

Grissom watched Catherine smile and giggle, almost flirtatiously, through the receiver. He intently listened as best as he could to understand the situation unfolding in front of him.

"Um, okay. If you say so…I'll come over. Uh, can I have the directions?" Catherine rummaged through everything at the hotel and all of her things in search for a pen and paper.

--

She turned onto the correct street slowly, trying to make sure she was right in reading the sign. She continued with caution down the drive and looked closely at the house numbers for the ones Sara gave her over the phone.

Pulling into the driveway after a couple of minutes of searching she smiled and quickly parked the car, cutting the engine and exiting starting for the front door. Reaching said door, she raised her hand in a loose fist in attempt to knock on the door, but the lanky brunette she was glad to get to know better threw opened the door with a panicked look and a smile just for the red head.

"Hey, I, uh, came as soon as I coul…" Catherine was cut off by Sara pulling her by her shirt front into the house.

"I need help," she gradually but worriedly stated as she violently slammed the front door shut, dragging Catherine upstairs to her room at her brother's house.

"Okay…you said you needed help with your outfit for tomorrow's events?"

"Yes and I have nothing extraordinary to wear! Can you help me?" Sara begged with her body language as she snatched Catherine's wrist and held it firmly but comfortably wrapped in her left hand.

"Sure," Catherine chuckled, finding the situation quite hilarious. "What are you looking for and what do you have?"

An hour later, Sara had every ensemble she owned out on her bed and biting her nails instead of whipping out a cigarette and taking as many drags as it would to finish off the sucker. Catherine sighed, blowing her bothersome bangs out of her face as she plunked onto the bed and fell back, extremely exhausted.

"I don't know what your problem is because there are plenty of options for you to wear," Catherine remained still and on her back over the sheets and bundles of clothing.

"I want to wear something none of my friends have seen me in. It's my twenty first birthday and I want to look a little different."

"Well, you can very well do that with clothes you normally wear can you? I know that you've known this for some time and are just stalling at this point." Catherine inquisitively raised a single eyebrow at the younger woman.

"Um, yeah, I did. I was kind of hoping that maybe we could go get me a few new outfits?"

Catherine chuckled and shook her head. "It's late, Sara. I doubt anything will be open."

"Then…maybe we should go sometime early tomorrow."

"If you know that's the case then why did you ask me over?"

"My brother's at his friend's house for the night to get a few other things for tomorrow so you can stay here tonight…if you want."

"I hate sleeping on couches."

"Please, you're my guest. I wouldn't let you sleep on the couch. You can stay in my room and I'll take the floor or something, okay?"

"Yeah, I guess that sounds good. So…what do we do now?"

"We could…" Sara purposely trailed off as she inched closer to Catherine. She slowly and lightly touched and ran down Catherine's shoulder down her arm and to her wrists.

Catherine's breath hitched at the soft and tender touch. Her lips were parted and her eyes grew wide, feeling nervous like some adolescent in a relationship of sorts. She allowed Sara to take her wrists and raise her hands, gently pushing her toward the room door. Once they were close enough, Sara pressed into Catherine with more force, causing the door to shut and Catherine to lightly slam against the wood.

"Sara," Catherine whispered, feeling good about what she anticipated to come to her, but afraid of the consequences thereafter.

"Don't talk, Catherine. I don't know where this is headed, but I know that I sure as hell want to figure out." Sara leaned into Catherine and lightly brushed their lips together.

Not long after the first meeting of their soft and burning lips did they deepen the kiss. Catherine darted her tongue out to run across Sara's bottom lip to seek entrance into her hot and ready mouth as their lips crashed and never separated from the other. They were fused into a tango so zesty and flavored before they knew it, they comfortably spun themselves onto the bed.

Sara gained control, lying on top of Catherine and intensifying the kisses and connection between the two of them. They both seemed on board for the idea and weren't planning on stopping anytime soon.

"Mm," Catherine quietly moaned into Sara's mouth as the brunette's hands start roaming to lower extremities on the older woman's body.

Sara smiled into their next kiss, blissfully enjoying her effect on the red head. She pushed up Catherine's shirt with her fingertips until the fabric as slowly placed over top of Catherine's taut breasts.

"Mm, Sara, I think…we should…wait," Catherine attempted to say between kisses, touches and movements of any kind.

"Wait for what," Sara breathlessly asked before bringing her lips back down onto Catherine's for the umpteenth time.

"Until we get to know each other better? I think this is moving a little to fast for us to safely judge anything," Catherine lightly pressed her palm to Sara's sternum to get the full effect of having Sara's attention.

"You're right," Sara reluctantly concurred. "We should probably go out on a real date before any of this ensues."

Catherine went from relaxed to worried that she had said the wrong thing to Sara as the brunette got off her and furthermore the bed, heading to the door to get as far away from Catherine as possible without leaving the house, but enough so that she wouldn't feel like such an idiot.

"Sara, wait," Catherine tried to call after her once Sara was rushing down the hall o the second floor.

_Damn it, I think I just made a __**big **__mistake, _Catherine worried heavily as she began to sit up in the bed and coil herself into a ball, her knees to her chest and frown at what she might have said to make Sara so upset.

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**_Thanks for reading! :) Reviews are always welcome!! _**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Sorry, I didn't update sooner! But I'm trying harder! :)_**

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Catherine had a hell of a time trying to fall asleep after Sara had stormed out of the room. She had been waiting to hear signs that the brunette was coming back to the room, but didn't hear a thing, getting worried Sara had left the house. She didn't want to hunt Sara down, not knowing what to expect so she safely kept her distance.

The sunlight came flooding through the room window all too quickly for Catherine as she squinted her eyes at the heavy glowing light infiltrating the place. She tossed around in the bed a few times before she decided to roll off the edge and get to her feet, heading toward the bathroom in the hall.

She was slowly making her way around, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and choppily strutting to her desired destination. She hardly noticed the brewing coffee downstairs as she shut the white, thick wooden door.

A few minutes passed before she stepped outside of the bathroom, looking aware of her surroundings instead of drugged up and going through the motions as she had to use the bathroom. She smelled the amazing coffee, much different than that at the lab, and smiled as she took in the overwhelming aroma. She jumped into place in front of the finished pot and reached out to remove it from its containment when she heard the presence of another.

"I got it," Sara's cold and bitter remark made Catherine snap back her hand, unsure of where her place was and feeling absolutely uncomfortable.

"Oh, okay…um, is there anything I can do this morning? We're still going shopping right," Catherine had to know. She was completely nervous and afraid about where she stood with the lanky brunette she had been falling for since the first time she spotted her on the dance floor.

"Yeah, we're still going shopping. Look," Sara frustratingly sighed before continuing. "I really want to go for a jog this morning, especially since the couch is the crappiest thing to sleep on second to the hard floor. I usually go for a run every morning, but lately my brother's been around and insists that I stay and have breakfast with him before hand. After we've eaten, other things get in the way and I'm left going about my day without a calming release."

"Oh, and…you're telling me because…" the older woman trailed off, not knowing why Sara was being civil after the emotions she demonstrated the previous night.

"I just wanted you to know I didn't plan on staying here much longer. I'm glad you're awake though because I'm no expert at writing notes. I hate them and think they're a waste of time…most of the time anyway."

"Okay, well, um, do you think I could…tag along," she nervously squirmed, not wanting to upset Sara again.

"I really like to be alone when I jog…" Sara trailed off and looked over Catherine, noting her worry. "But, I guess you could come."

Catherine weakly smiled, understanding Sara didn't really want her to go, but for some reason the red head still had a bit of underlying power over the younger woman. She plopped down at the island and let out a heavy breath she had apparently been holding throughout the entire exchange.

"You want coffee, right," Sara set down two mugs for their morning drink of choice.

Catherine flashed a more comfortable and confident smile this time and nodded, pulling the cup toward her without letting Sara fill it with the heated liquid. She waited for Sara to fill her cup and extended her hand to take the pot from Sara.

"Thanks," Catherine muttered as she watched the beverage pour smoothly with a relaxing sound as it collected in the mug.

Sara lightly nodded and maneuvered herself around the island and settled in the seat beside Catherine to the older woman's right. She took a sip and looked up at the clock on the wall above the sink. She wanted to get a move on, but didn't want to rush her friend.

"Um, we should get going if we want that jog. My brother will be home in a few hours anyway and I don't want him to find you here."

"Why not?" Mid sip, Catherine furrowed her brows and asked.

"I just…it's a long story. Mattie'll want me to help him set things up later and my party starts at seven, so…we should get going so we can shop in record time." Sara hurried to the sink and set down her coffee mug on the counter. As much as she wanted to finish it, she knew she wasn't going to be able to do everything they wanted for the day. "Come on…let's go."

Catherine watched Sara take her cup and place it next to hers. She noticed Sara take her own cup and dump the contents back into the pot, afterward emptying Catherine's coffee into Sara's mug. Catherine furrowed her brows for the second time that morning, but corrected her expression as Sara whipped around and pulled Catherine out of her seat.

"We have to get ready…now!"

--

Catherine finished tying the final knot with the shoelaces of Sara's smaller footwear that no longer fit her as the brunette let go of the rubber band to support her loose ponytail. She smiled as she strutted over to Catherine and got onto the bed in the spot directly behind the red head.

"What are you doing," Catherine asked as she straightened up on the absolute edge of the bed. Sara inched closer, her knees holding her up on her soft, comfy bed. Catherine could feel the warmth of Sara's body behind her and knew if she backed up a bit she would feel Sara's muscular thighs.

"I'm going to put up your hair! I hope you don't mind," she continued to run her hands through the soft, luscious red locks of Catherine's, stretching for her extra brush she left on her nightstand.

Catherine fluttered her eyes shut, loving the feel of Sara brushing her hair. Her breathing was slow and relaxed, so relaxed she could fall back asleep within minutes. And abruptly Sara was finished.

_Damn, she works fast! _Catherine couldn't help but think about Sara's styling performance as she opened her eyes and felt the bed rise with the absence of Sara.

"Now that we're ready…let's get the hell out of here," Sara bounced toward the door.

They had only been jogging ten minutes and Catherine was tired of not talking. Silence was nice when she was enjoying time alone, but she couldn't stand not clearing things up with the extremely active brunette.

"So…about last night," Catherine started, but Sara cut off the red head.

"Don't worry about it, you were right and I was just…horny," Sara rationalized.

"Well, um, you know that I wouldn't mind…you know…but I just…don't want to rush into things with you."

"Cat, can we not talk about this," Sara asked politely as she sped up the pace. Catherine exerted herself more to keep up, but to be honest she wasn't sure how much more she could handle.

"Yeah, okay. Um, how about…you tell me how much longer we'll be out here," Catherine panted, out of breath.

"Not much longer," Sara laughed at Catherine's efforts. "About five more minutes."

"Kay," Catherine shortened her answer to save her breath.

"Get ready…change in pace again," Sara grinned throughout her warning before speeding up once again.

Catherine quickly groaned before charging up again and pushing the limits of her body. _How does she keep this up? She's like a machine or something! Fuck, it's…incredible!_

The fast paces were not nearly anything Catherine had experienced before, but with Sara she figured it was worth it in the end. She got to spend time with the brilliant woman and enjoyed every second spent.

Getting in to the house, Sara glanced up at the clock and her eyes widened in fear. "Shit, my brother's going to be home in about twenty minutes! I thought we were doing well on time, but…I guess I was wrong. Look, I know you said you wanted things to go slow, but…we have to share a shower in order to get out of here in time."

"What," Catherine was trying to catch her breath as she showed her utter bewilderment.

"Unless you want to go shopping without one, we don't have a choice because I'm serious not leaving here without one!"

Catherine was quick with another answer. "Um, if we really need to get out of here, or at least I do anyway, why don't we shower at the hotel…separately! Or you could shower here and I'll shower at the hotel. Either way, there are other options."

"Oh, right," Sara slapped her head with the palm of her hand in a 'Should have had a V8' way. "Sorry, I'm not exactly in a thinking position at the moment."

"I can see that," Catherine laughed, feeling more at ease and in control of her breathing. "So…what'll be?"

Sara looked to be on the verge of a panic attack, causing Catherine to ease toward the younger woman and soothingly wrap her arms around Sara's waist. The brunette instantly relaxed on contact and let out a breath to calm herself. She leaned back into Catherine's touch and closed her eyes.

"If you keep this up, we're both going to shower at the hotel," Sara smiled, her eyes still shut.

"I'm perfectly fine with that," Catherine smiled, reveling in the sight of Sara steady in her arms.

"Okay…we should go then," Sara's body betrayed her words as she remained rocking side by side in Catherine's cocooning embrace.

Catherine giggled and tapped either side of Sara's waist twice, backing away from Sara and retreating upstairs to collect her keys. Sara went in the same direction, same room, but she was getting things other than her keys. She knew she should take her own car for an obvious reason, but she wanted all the time in the world with Catherine. She knew the red head wasn't going to be in San Francisco much longer and at her party she had no idea how much time the two would get to themselves.

Sara smiled when she saw Catherine waiting with little patience, her hand on her hip in the doorway of the room as Sara fumbled through her dresser drawers. She wanted to see Catherine waiting for her like that forever and thought she would do anything to get exactly that, but things were complicated enough and she was so screwed up she had no clue what Catherine would, or did according to Catherine's earlier comment about the night before, see in her.

"Alright, I'm ready…shopping here we come," Sara exclaimed as the two exited with warm smiles plastered on their faces.

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**_Thanks for reading and sorry if this is too short. I'll be getting to the party soon enough and I don't plan many more chapters after this one because really, the party is the last thing Grissom and Catherine stayed for and then it's back to Vegas! And I'll even make you a deal because I love my reviews!!! If I get over 40 reviews on this story I'll make a sequel where Sara comes to Vegas! :) Don't worry, you've still got a few chapters to get those reviews in, but let me know if you want a sequel and maybe I'll forget the high number of reviews I'm asking for!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_I hope this chapter is longer for you guys! Thanks for the reviews! :) Here's my love to you readers!_**

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Five stores and three hours later, Sara had two new outfits she was proud to be carrying in the department store bags. She was glowing, happy she got what she wanted and that she had Catherine along side her the entire time. She felt like a lovesick fool, but it didn't matter as long as Catherine still cared for her.

The party was nearing and Sara knew she had to get home to help her brother set up a little more, but as she was about to grunt and apologize to Catherine before asking for a ride back home her phone rang.

"Hello," she answered, plugging her other ear to hear clearly through all the chaos of the local mall.

"Hey, sis, I just wanted to let you know that I had the guys come over and they're gonna help me set stuff up. Have a god time shopping and don't get home until the party. I want everything to be a surprise."

"Oh, I'm okay. You know I have a ride, right? She's going to have to walk into the house with me."

"Are you out with that woman you mentioned earlier," he started to get angry.

"What's it to you? I don't like it when you tell me shit like you're the only one who's going to be there for me!"

"Well, it's the truth. Think about how messed up our lives our, look at mom and dad! We're so fucked up, she'll never want to be with a dyke like you!"

Sara's jaw dropped and felt like crying. His harsh words registered as though she was alone in her bedroom with her father before the torture began. He always told her how useless she was and that no one could love her like he did. A few times after she would protest he would call her a dyke because she didn't like the things he did and the fact that her brother was becoming nothing unlike their parents was something she couldn't live with much longer.

"Fuck you! You'll be lucky if I come home now," Sara spat into the phone before hanging up abruptly.

Catherine stood in shock and worried about Sara as the brunette put her phone away, appearing heartbroken.

"Sara, sweetie, are you okay? What just happened?" Catherine inched closer to Sara and extended her arms to take the younger woman in them for the second time that day.

"Nothing, it was just my brother showing me how much he reminds me of my past. That's all." Sara held off her tears and clung to Catherine for a bit before starting again. "Hey, can we go somewhere."

"Sure," Catherine pulled away to see Sara's face. "Where to do want to go?"

"I don't care. Anywhere but my brother's place and somewhere we can be alone."

"Well, sweetie, I'd love to be alone with you longer, but I think Grissom is starting to get worried."

"Fine, whatever, take me back to the hotel and we can hang out with Grissom. Just as long as you don't leave me…I'll be fine."

"Okay," Catherine nodded and pulled Sara into a chaste kiss, running he hand down Sara's arm to her hand and taking in her own. "Consider us gone."

--

Catherine and Sara walked hand in hand up to the hotel room with pleased expressions. The red head knew Grissom wouldn't be keen on the physical aspect of their relationship, but she was only willing to compromise: they would touch, but keep there hands enough to themselves that Grissom wouldn't feel uncomfortable.

They stopped in front of the room, Catherine's back to the thick door with a smug grin as she ran her hands up Sara's biceps, the brunette tugging on Catherine's hips to bring her closer.

"This has to stop when we walk into that room, you know that right," Catherine purred to confirm.

"Yeah, and that's why I'm doing this now," Sara bit her lip and leaned in, passionately kissing Catherine.

Immediately, the red head moaned and smiled into the rapidly deepening kiss, throwing her hands around Sara's neck. Content, the two remained incessantly making out in front of the room until they knew it was time to call it quits for a while, making sure Grissom wasn't going insane without a so much as a call from Catherine reassuring him they were fine.

Sliding the key card into the slot, Catherine giggled at Sara's roaming hands from behind. When the green light gave the women the opportunity to enter, Catherine swatted away Sara's playful hands and pushed the door opened to reveal Grissom lying on his bed with a book occupying him.

"There you are," Grissom smiled, addressing his best friends with worry but his smile filled with relief. "I was beginning to wonder!"

"We're fine, Gris," Sara laughed as she walked up to him, holding her arms open for a hug.

"I can see that…now! How was shopping," Grissom asked as he pulled away from the friendly embrace.

"It was fine until Sara's brother called," Catherine got her two cents in, making her presence known once again as she headed over toward Sara and Grissom.

"He called? What did he say," Grissom touched Sara's arm, giving her comfort he thought she might need as he saw her expression of sorrow and slight regret.

"Nothing, he was just being an ass. He told me to come in with the rest of the guests so I could be surprised at what the place looks like, so…that's what I'm doing." She forced a smile and awkwardly kicked her feet around as they became the heart of her attention.

"If you have any problems with him…you know to call me, right?" Grissom's fatherly gestures were unfortunately becoming overbearing and Catherine could tell by looking at her 'new-found love'.

"Uh, Gil, I think she should tell you if anything were wrong," Catherine stepped in, watching Sara's demeanor soften before she mouthed 'Thank you' to the older woman redirection Grissom back toward his bed. "Why don't you get back to reading your book or something while we come up with something to monopolize our remaining time before the party."

"We could go see a movie," Grissom suggested, though he hated the idea of watching something in a sticky theater that always smelled like urine despite the cleaning crew's efforts to make the place somewhat presentable.

"Wow, I thought I'd never see the day that Gil Grissom actually said that we could see a movie," Sara demonstrated how shocked she was as she approached the bed and plopped down on the edge, smiling.

"Well, if it's something you want to do then I'll deal. After all, you are the birthday girl," he smiled.

"Oh, that reminds me," Catherine bit her lip, too excited to do much else other than head toward the room's closet. She pulled out a nicely wrapped box and handed it to Sara with glittery blue eyes, like crystals though certainly not cold and glacier resembling.

"What is this? You didn't have to get me anything," Sara laughed as she took the gift in her hands.

"I wanted to… After the first time I saw you I thought about all the things to get you and, well, just open it and _then_ I'll explain," Catherine smiled.

Sara took a deep breath and unwrapped the tiny box. When she saw the romantic red suede of the real box she figured it had to be for jewelry. She bit her bottom lip in anticipation and popped the little container open to much delight at the shimmering object inside.

"It's…it's beautiful," Sara's face glowed well with the necklace she slowly pulled out of the box and dangled in front of her with amazement in her expression. Catherine was radiant in Grissom's opinion by the way she raked her eyes over Sara's features. It was a sweet moment he knew meant everything to his girls.

"I love it, Catherine, thank you," Sara smiled, revealing her gap teeth.

The smile was infectious and had Catherine mirroring the action, Grissom following when he saw his colleague flash off her pearly whites.

"Your welcome," Catherine laughed as she smiled into the several chaste kisses they exchanged. After the first consecutive five, the two stopped smiling and got serious. Catherine raised her hand to Sara's cheek and darted her tongue out, running it across the brunette's bottom lip.

Sara happily allowed Catherine access, forgetting Grissom was awkwardly still behind the couple on the bed at a loss for words. Sara advanced and ran her right hand up the outside of Catherine's left thigh, resting her hand very briefly on Catherine's left ass cheek, squeezing the older woman's behind and pulling Catherine onto her lap.

Both moaned and seemed more than ready to enjoy the rest of their time before they had to attend the predicted to be wild party of the now twenty-one year olds. Grissom shot up off the bed and cleared his throat as he bolted past the two women on the bed and into the bathroom. Sara and Catherine weren't completely unfazed by his actions and smiled into another chaste kiss.

"Who knew a tiny little necklace with a red diamond outlined heart would drive people to nearly having sex," Catherine joked.

"Mm," Sara smiled before taking in a large breath then contentedly sighing as she rubbed Catherine's left arm. "I guess we do know."

Both smiled and got up from the bed, walking over to the mirror outside the bathroom, beside the television, and fixing their hardly affected appearances. They shared tiny giggles and playful elbow jabs as they straightened out their hair and applied Vaseline to their plump and slightly dry lips.

Grissom, one giant hand of his covering his eyes as the other guided him through the room, immaturely exited the bathroom. "Are you two still messing around or id it okay for me to look?"

Catherine and Sara exchanged a knowing glance of smug grins and laced their fingers as they went back to the bed. Sara threw Catherine onto Grissom's bed and pinned her hands above and beside the older woman's head. Sara was on all fours hovering over Catherine and smiling so much both thought her face was going to get stuck in that position.

"Yeah, it's fine," Sara lied as she attacked Catherine's lips in an attempt to make Grissom uncomfortable.

Grissom dropped his hand, his jaw soon following the leader when he saw Catherine under Sara playing around the brunette's pant line, dipping her hands into her jeans and raking her hands over Sara's ass.

Sara moaned and pushed her backside into Catherine's touch as the red head's fingertips dug lightly into her skin. Grissom could also noticeably tell Sara and Catherine's tongues were in a heavy duel to determine which one of them was the one in control of the situation, both at a tie from what he concluded against his will.

To him it was one of those rare moments for him where it disturbed him and yet he could not seem to look away. Catherine loudly moaned when Sara dove one of her hands into the older woman's pants hat really set Grissom off. He was the most baffled he had ever been in his entire life and it all because of a little game the women in his life decided to play with him.

Sara made sure to only run her hand along Catherine's core over the panties, knowing Catherine wanted things to move slower and they never actually intended to go much farther than they already had. Simultaneously, completely in sync with the other, they smiled and agreed to a chaste kiss before removing their hands from each other's bodies, wiping there swollen lips and raising their eyebrows at Grissom as they made their way toward him.

"You like the show," Sara asked, almost giving in and cracking up like she badly needed to at Grissom's shocked pale face and agape mouth. Catherine didn't have the self-control and doubled over, sending a shiver down Sara's back that signaled the brunette to let go and laugh her ass off as well.

Grissom shook his head to rid the image of the two of them on his bed for the remainder of his and Catherine's stay and ran his tongue over his now dry lips, working with personal motivation to build up saliva in his mouth since it too went dry like his lips.

"Did you catch any flies" Catherine clutched her sides that were now hurting her like she had been tickled and harshly poked at for at least a good five minutes.

"I'm sure if he did, he would've shown more enthusiasm and would be enjoying this moment," Sara let her laughter subside.

"Ha-ha," Grissom sarcastically laughed along. "Very funny, now let's do something we all agree on?"

Though it was a question, Grissom firmly delivered it. Sara and Catherine both knew to relax and get back to pleasure as usual, without incidents like the previous one and carried on to the rental car Catherine had taken to Matt's place.

--

After much debate, the three of them decided on going out to a restaurant for a real meal before snacking all night long. They had a hard time agreeing on a movie because Grissom only wanted to see some science fiction thriller that had recently been released and the women settled on a romantic comedy. When Grissom showed how strong willed he was for his choice, Catherine and Sara turned to each other and grinned before accepting their friend's choice.

Once inside the dark theater, the trio already being late, they got situated as quickly as possible in the left corner of the back row. Sara waited a good ten minutes when the movie had officially sucked Grissom in to the point where she understood he wouldn't tear his eyes away from the screen until the end of the film. When she felt he had reached the point of o return for the rest of the presentation, Sara smiled and made her move.

Catherine felt a hand sliding up her thigh making her jump when she whipped her head in Sara's direction. She grinned, knowing they could get caught and escorted out of the theater but shook her head in blissful disbelief before leaning in to their first kiss among many throughout the entire movie.

"That was interesting, don't you think," Grissom turned to see the two of them still feverishly making out a few seats away from him, Catherine straddling Sara's lap. "Oh, come on!"

The credits were rolling as Grissom forced himself to get up and slap the two of them on their arms, both becoming aware of their surroundings and becoming grumpy and agitated.

"What the hell," both protested to Grissom's way of getting them to keep their hands to themselves and leave peacefully.

"We have…" he looked down at his watch, "less than fifty minutes until the party starts. Let's get out of here. I assume you two need to get ready anyway?"

At the raise of his brows the two of them gulped and knew to get up and get out of the half decent theater.

The walk to the rental car was silent, but Catherine and Sara couldn't keep their hands off each other so they compromised and intertwined their fingers as they held hands to the car. Grissom knew they weren't teenagers but the women sure as hell the raging hormones to match those of adolescents so he made it perfectly clear what the rules were.

"Sara, sit in the front seat and Catherine, get in the back! I'm not trusting the two of you back there together."

"How come she gets to be in the front," Catherine was a bit thrown off and slightly angry that her being older meant nothing more than her losing her beauty faster.

"She'll sit up here because I trust you and your hormones over hers any day of the week, okay? Just do it and let's get back to the hotel so we can have a great time and look spectacular at this party."

"Yeah, okay," the two of them mumbled in reluctant compliance. Grissom smirked and giggled to himself as the two of them got into the car before he did. He was thoroughly pleased with setting the groundwork and having them listen for once.

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**_Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed! :) Review please and let me know what you think! And I promise the party is coming next chapter. No use in prolonging it anymore right? ;)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Okay, this chapter is DEFINITELY longer than the others. :) Sorry if I haven't been updating enough for you readers, but trust me...it'll get harder for me to do starting this Monday. :(_**

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Sitting up front gave Sara the opportunity to think about the things her brother had shared with her over the phone. She hated the time to think about his words and the fact that she had to see him, but she knew if she could only hold on a little longer, things would come easier, or so she liked to believe.

"Sara? What's bothering you," Catherine asked from the backseat, noticing Sara's discomfort.

"It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it," Sara pushed Catherine away.

"Can we talk about it later?" Catherine tried to reason with the jaded brunette.

"Yeah, if I feel up to it later. I just…never mind," Sara sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about her emotions. Everything with her brother seemed like the end of the world and Catherine was not someone she approved of having to deal with it all. Matt was her problem, not her girlfriend's problem and that was how it was going to be for as long she and Catherine were together or even knew each other.

"Sara," Catherine begged with a low tone, warning the younger woman she would do whatever it took to get Sara to talk.

"Yeah, I know…look, I'm starting to get a headache and I want to be feeling much better when we get to my brother's place…so can we not talk about this now?"

"Of course, when you're ready," Catherine eased herself out of the position she had placed herself in with her girlfriend.

--

It took them enough time to get dressed and fixed to "perfection", Sara looking like a million bucks though she was only wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Her jeans purposely had holes in them, cut and custom made by no one other than her of course, the faded color having light white paint stains around the pockets and knees. Her belt was basic black but gracefully swung around her hips and tied in the front instead of actually buckling. Her shirt was red with smaller but matching paint stains down the sides, three giant gashes in the front of the shirt over her chest and upper torso, a white V-cut undershirt covering her cleavage enough to leave plenty of things to the imagination, but not everything.

Catherine loved the look on Sara and wickedly grinned at the light amount of eyeliner and mascara that accented her marvelous brown eyes. She lightly laughed at the sight of Sara wearing pale pink lip-gloss and imagined what it would feel like to snag a bit of it through several quick kisses.

"You look great," Catherine smiled, inching closer to the lanky brunette. Sara recognized the look the red head was giving her as desire from the mirror every time she saw the woman in front of her.

"Thanks, you look even better," Sara bit her bottom lip to keep herself in control, commenting on Catherine's black cocktail dress that form fit the older woman. She inched closer as Catherine did so until they were a lean apart. Sara instinctively rested her hands on Catherine's hips and smugly smiled at her.

The want and the need burning inside Sara was all too much for her to continue to fight off and she slid her hands around Catherine's back, wrapping her arms around her waist, and pulling her into a fiery kiss. The contact didn't last as long as Catherine would have liked, but she did get a bit of the lip-gloss on her softening lips. Sara emitted a contented sigh and smiled as she only stretched back a tiny bit, their lips still brushing as she spoke.

"The second I can get you alone…don't expect me to wait," Sara slightly panted at the picture she had created.

Catherine gulped and knew she would be in for it because she made the twenty-one year old hold off on sex, but she was not about to loose sleep over worrying. In fact, she felt ready tonight knowing she wanted a taste before she had to go which she was sure was the same thought process of the younger woman.

_Ugh, tomorrow we take our flight back to Vegas and who am I kidding? This relationship won't last an hour with the distance. This is going to be the last night I have with her and who knows if I'll ever be blessed by her presence again?! I hate Vegas if it means I can't be with her. Maybe…no, that was a stupid thought. I couldn't move out here because we've barely spent enough time together for me to give up my job in Vegas to move my four year old and myself out her to be with her. Other than Lindsey though, she is becoming my life and I hate that because it makes all of this ten times harder. _

"What are you thinking about," Sara asked as she backed away still holding Catherine with a fading smile and concern rapidly appearing as she watched Catherine's expression tighten, obviously stressed and upset about something.

"Huh," Catherine shook her head and blinked her eyes a few times to regain focus. "Oh, um nothing. I just…don't want to go back to Vegas. Eddie and the divorce is there and…you're not."

The nervous laugh made Sara furrow her brows and strengthen her grip on the red head. She was falling fast into love with this woman and had no way of getting over the fact she had to return to Vegas though she knew that was the only solution.

"Your little girl's there, too," Sara mentioned.

Catherine smiled, amazed as her eyes twinkled for Sara. "You remembered I have a daughter?"

"Well…yeah," Sara started to blush. "She's a huge part of your life and you've been a huge part of mine since I first met you. I'd love to meet her some day, but I'm having a hard time remembering her name. Something that starts with an 'L', right?"

Even though Sara looked unsure of herself, Catherine was still stunned and now completely head over heels for this woman. "You got it. Lindsey."

Sara smiled, happy to see Catherine joyful. She also smiled because she was glad to have remembered that much. She paid attention to detail, but she had never had to remember anything like that before after having such a great time with the woman.

"Um, I have…a-a picture," Catherine squirmed out of Sara's embrace and went for her wallet.

Sara smiled, "She's four, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, and she's so cute. Definitely the light in my life," Catherine was ready to wipe away tears of joy as she pulled out the wallet sized picture and walking over to Sara. "Here, that's my daughter."

"Oh my…she's beautiful. A lot like her mom…which means she'll have plenty of guys hanging around her, drooling," Sara looked over at Catherine who's chest was lightly pressed against Sara's right arm as she admired her daughter's picture, a truly proud mother.

At Sara's comments, Catherine looked up at her and chuckled, tears filling her eyes to the point where she had to let them fall and there was no way of holding them back now. Sara sweetly smiled and with the pad of her thumb, wiped the tear from Catherine's left cheek as another streamed down her right.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but…you still look incredible when you cry."

With those words, she could no longer contain herself. Catherine wrapped her arms around Sara's neck and pulled the taller woman in for a passionate kiss. Catherine's lips were parted the instant they crashed against Sara's and patiently as she could waited until Sara was ready for her before she took the opportunity to explore the brunette's mouth.

Sara again wrapped her hands around Catherine's waist and rammed the smaller woman flush against her body, parting her lips for approval and access which Catherine, as anticipated, took the chance and glided her tongue past Sara's teeth and raking over Sara's. The passion shared between their bodies and their kisses was slow and tender, loving. If they were to take it to the next level, it would not only be sex, it would connect them in more than only a physical way. They would have bonded in ways indescribable and all together invigorating.

Catherine pushed and guided Sara back to her hotel bed with ease, not hurrying at all. When the back of Sara's knees hit the end of the bed she immediately sat down, taking Catherine with her, and slid back so her feet would not be hanging off as they persisted. Catherine straddled Sara's thighs in one fluid motion as Sara began to lie down, never breaking their kiss.

Sara moaned into Catherine's mouth as she felt the hem of her shirt being lightly pushed up with gradually sinking fingertips raking over her skin.

The distinct sound of a throat being cleared from the bathroom doorway was not enough to make them stop, but the next words they heard had them pulling away.

"Could you two maybe wait until I'm _not _around to see or _hear_what you're doing," Grissom averted his eyes as he made his way over to his suitcase with a few personal items he moved into the bathroom for his convenience throughout their stay.

Both Catherine and Sara then cleared their throats as they got off the bed and straightened their outfits and ran a hand through their hair to fix it in case it had been messed up from their 'almost' activity.

"Are you ladies ready," Grissom asked as he shut his suitcase. "We're kind of running late for your own party."

"Yeah, we're…uh, yeah, ready," Sara stumbled with her words as she tried to catch her breath and searched for her lip-gloss, knowing she needed to apply more.

--

They pulled up twenty minutes later than expected, the music and lights in the backyard letting them know a few people were already there and waiting.

_Most likely all his friends, _Sara thought.

They headed up the steps, Catherine and Sara walking with linked arms and exchanging glances as the three of them approached the door. Once inside they could see the pool was heated, the steam rolling off the surface with plenty of beer to go around and not one, but two bars: the one inside on the way to the sliding, glass back door and one smaller one out by the pool.

Though Sara knew the thirty some people outside, none of them were as close to her as her limited number of friends. Her brother had at least ten friends that were single and she spotted them all talking at the outside bar with her brother. Most had brought a date and several had girlfriends Sara thought to be extremely nice and well mannered, but they never cliqued in quite a way that made the brunette even _want _to call them friends.

She had five friends and knew them to always be fashionably late and travel together, but she hoped they would get there soon so they could save her from having a horrible time shared with her brother and his jerk friends and of course to meet Grissom and, more importantly, Catherine. She took a deep breath and started to head toward her brother and his single friends when Catherine pulled her back.

"Are you sure you want to be here? I mean, maybe it would be better if you blew this off," Catherine asked to make sure Sara was okay with the situation.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I mean, I'm going to be moving in after this semester so I can't keep ignoring and shrugging him off," Sara nodded and dropped her right hand to Catherine's left, lacing their fingers and flashing her famous smile.

Catherine smiled back and squeezed Sara's hand before they looked forward and headed to the back. She knew Sara was probably going to let go of her hand once she opened the back door before she could take another step toward her brother. She wanted to make sure she was ready for the action and took calming breaths to relax. When she saw Sara open the back door she noticed Sara smile and greet her brother and _did not _release Catherine's hand. Nothing was audible to Catherine at the moment.

"This is my friend, Catherine," Sara started introductions with her brother before looking at all his friends crowded around. "My _girlfriend _Catherine. And of course Grissom."

The emphasis Sara put on the word 'girlfriend' brought Catherine back to reality with a smile stretching from ear to ear. She extended her free hand for them to shake which surprisingly and politely they all did. Matt on the other hand was not as accepting of the couple.

"I thought we talked about this," Matt spoke through gritted teeth, roughly gripping Sara's bicep and pulling her closer to him.

"You did and I pretended to listen," Sara kept her voice as quiet as possible as not to make a scene, but it was no use as the others around them could all hear their conversation. Matt's friends all turned their heads and looked for a group to party with as they tried to move on with their lives.

Grissom cleared his throat in the women's defense that got Matt's attention. "Are you telling me you're alright with this?"

His anger was apparent as he threw away his sister's arm and practically thrashing her into Catherine, their hands separating as they held each other as not to fall over.

"Sara can do whatever she pleases. I'm happy if she's happy as should you," Grissom stood his ground.

"I want her out of her, Sara," Matt raised his voice after a beat, turning his attention back to the couple.

"No, it's my party and I'll invite whoever the fuck I want," Sara's anger began to surface. Catherine saw that an opportunity to calm Sara to the best of her abilities by rubbing the brunette's right arm.

"Either you get her out of here…or ­_I'll _take care of her," he raised his eyebrows and Sara knew exactly what he was capable of at this point.

"Fuck off," Sara shouted at him. She turned her attention to Catherine and somewhat at Grissom. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here."

"But…what about your friends? You told them to come here, didn't you," Catherine asked, not completely understanding the threat Matt had seconds ago made.

"That's okay. I'll call them from the car and tell them where they _should _be going," Sara was seething now. She turned back to face her brother and got in his face, spitting, "Enjoy _your _party."

--

At a well-maintained club several blocks from Matt's place, Sara was laughing with Catherine as she took a few more swigs of her beer and waited for her friends to arrive. She was at peace with the music booming through the speakers and the bass heavily vibrating through the floor and bar stools.

Grissom was enjoying his time as well, Catherine and Sara not forgetting to include him in their conversation. Some of the things they discussed weren't all for Grissom's ears which forced him to momentarily resign from the conversation and pay attention to the crowd surrounding them and occasionally flirting with the female bartender close to Catherine's age.

A few more minutes passed when the five friends of Sara entered the club, ready to party. Three female friends and two guy friends appeared with wide smiles and spotted the brunette with a red head sitting on her lap and whispering into Sara's ear.

"Textbook," the two men called out to Sara, using their nickname for her as they rushed toward her, laughing. "This your girl?"

"Hey, Ray, Mark," she smiled, addressing the two of them, her girl friends all gabbing behind the guys about something interesting as usual. "Yeah, this is Catherine."

Sara hated having to do it, but she sat up and took Catherine with her, keeping one hand around her waist as they stood. They had to let go for hugs from each of the guys and Sara sidestepped to greet her other friends.

"Sara! Hey, happy birthday sweetie," the first friend of that bunch to approach greeted.

"Hey, Mindy," Sara smiled and embraced the blonde.

"Our gifts for you are in the car, we didn't know if you really wanted to open them here or not," the next woman stepped up and added.

"It's fine, Angie, maybe we can hang out at one of your places tonight."

"Did you have another fight with Matt," the third and final friend walked into a hug.

"Unfortunately, Maggie, but I'm okay so don't bother beating the dead horse."

"Could you at least tell us what it was about this time," Angie asked, concerned and curious.

"Oh, I introduced Catherine," she pointed to Catherine still talking to the guys at the bar, "as my girlfriend and he flipped out, asked me to get rid of her or he would for me."

"Asshole," the three of them simultaneously muttered.

"But, girlfriend? That's great, I'm so happy for you," Mindy smiled, eager to talk to the red head.

"Safe to say we all are," Maggie lightly laughed and rolled her eyes at the fact that Mindy had not spoken for the group like they all normally did because they always seemed to agree.

Sara laughed at Maggie's action and turned to Catherine, pulling the smaller woman away from Ray and Mark to meet the others. "Catherine, meet Mindy, Angie, and Maggie."

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hey," they all greeted though at different times this time, one by one coming up to hug her.

Once all hugs were exchanged, the five focused on Grissom who was occupied with the bartender and decided to say 'hi'. Though he was busy as was the bartender with other customers she had yet to serve, they thought he could spare a couple minutes with them. The attention shifting to him left Sara and Catherine to do something by themselves.

"Let's dance," Catherine laced their fingers for the second time that night as her blue eyes sparkled and her smile was infectious.

"Um, okay," Sara blushed and nervously shifted, focusing on her feet.

"What's wrong," Catherine couldn't help but emit a little laugh at Sara's expression.

"I just…I can't really dance," Sara chanced a glance at Catherine.

The older woman's smile was warm and reassuring in ways Catherine wasn't even aware of for the most part. She chastely kissed Sara though it took her three Mississippi's before their lips departed and pulled Sara onto the dance floor.

"You'll do fine just follow my movements and go to the beat," Catherine eased her girlfriend onto the floor. When Catherine found them a spot to dance, she rested her hands on the younger woman's hips as a guide before she started swaging her own to the music.

_Then I ever thought it could possibly be_

_It's perfect, it's passion, it's setting me free_

_From all of my sadness_

_The tears that I've cried_

I have spent all of my life Waiting for tonight Sara followed Catherine's movements and instantly became in sync with the smaller woman as though they had their own rhythm together their entire lives. They grinned and inched closer, leaving no space between them as one of Catherine's legs was between Sara's thighs and vice versa.

_When you would be here in my arms_

_Waiting for tonight, oh_

I've dreamed of this love for so long

_Waiting for tonight _

Catherine relaxed her eyes shut for a second as she felt Sara's harsh breath jutting out and sticking to her lips as they danced. She leaned in and let their lips brush for a while as Sara's eyes fluttered shut, their movements noticeably slowing. Catherine lightly let her hands roam around to Sara's back, down over her ass, up her sides and to her breasts.

Tender words you say

_Take my breath away_

_Love me now, leave me never_

_Found a sacred place_

_Lost in your embrace_

_I want to stay in this forever _

Catherine didn't care where they were and ran the pads of her thumbs over Sara's nipples through the material of her shirt and bra as they rocked against each other before she let her forehead rest against Sara's. They're breathing became labored and before the two of them knew it, they were lightly pressing their lips together.

I think of the days when the sun used to set

_On my empty heart, all alone in my bed_

_Tossing and turning_

_Emotions were strong_

_I knew I had to hold on _

Catherine's hands slid down Sara's sides and resumed their position on her hips. She parted her lips for Sara without the brunette having to ask and soon her tongue was met by an eager, darting tongue springing into her mouth. She moaned, but no one could hear over the music yet Sara knew she had because of the vibrations against her lips. Sara pushed her tongue further into Catherine's mouth, deepening the kiss and taking Catherine's hair at the back of her head into her fist to smash their lips flush against each other and keep the smaller woman stationary.

Gone are the days when the sun used to set

_On my empty heart all alone in my bed_

_Tossing and turning_

_Emotions were strong_

_I knew I had to hold on_

As the song finished with a final repeat of the chorus, Catherine fought to pull away from Sara. Once they separated, taking in much needed oxygen the older woman knew they couldn't stay there much longer.

"Let's go back to the hotel room," she tried to catch her breath as she rushed the sentence out of her mouth.

"Not yet…my friends…have presents for me," she panted.

"Then tell them you can get them tomorrow or something…Sara!"

The plea from Catherine was desperate and expressed how much she needed and wanted Sara, unable to stay for another grueling minute.

Sara understood what Catherine was trying to say and widened her eyes. "Gladly!"

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**_Song: Waiting for Tonight - Jennifer Lopez_**

**_Was this chapter a treat? How am I doing so far? Just to let you know (whether you love or hate the song I chose) I had to search for the perfect song from the early 90s that they could dance to that spoke the truth. If you even review about that song and nothing else, I'd be okay with that! Just click that button below and let me now what you think! Maybe I'll push harder to get you an update sooner. ;)_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Again, I'm not back for long. Enjoy this new chapter. It took a while to get completed and I hope its actually worth something with you readers! :)**_

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Catherine was surprised the two of them made it back to the hotel. She had been undeniably ready to give herself completely to Sara.

Inside the barely closed hotel room door, Sara pressed Catherine to her body and deepened the kiss with every step they took toward the bed. The red head's shirt ran north as Sara let her hands crawl over her hot flesh and hardly inside the waistband of the older woman's jeans.

Catherine emitted a moan only seconds before her tongue was met by the brunette's with a fiery passion and vicious tackle. She soon then felt the edge of the bed against the back of her thighs and inched back onto it, using her forearms to guide her somewhat toward the pillows.

Sara backed off and relieved the pressure of her weight against her girlfriend. She straddled Catherine's waist and sat back on her haunches.

Catherine groaned in frustration and put her fingertips to either temple. Because Sara was holding her down with her body, she had nowhere to go; immobile.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just… I want this, but…I'm not sure. It seems so rushed…I-I…"

"I'm not sure if I can say my feelings are love per say, but Sara…I'm damn sure I'm falling harder and faster for you each day."

Sara's eyes went wide as a smile stretched its way across her face. She was beaming uncontrollably so and leaned in, sweetly kissing Catherine with a specific passion.

"I'm so glad we're on the same page," Sara smiled and kneaded Catherine's legs apart with the palms of her hands.

Catherine moaned, unable to control what she was doing. Sara found her place between Catherine's legs, though only her legs seemed to understand that place, and with her fingertips, gradually pushed up Catherine's tight and appealing shirt.

Her nails raked over the soft skin of the red head's and relaxed once the shirt was in place over Catherine's supple breasts, at the ready to be discarded.

Catherine obliged by lifting herself up off the sheets and raised her arms. Sara peeled the shirt off the remainder of Catherine's body and flung it onto the floor somewhere once the cotton fabric made its way over Catherine's head.

On her way down against the sheets, Catherine mimicked Sara's actions and wrapped her fingers loosely around the hem of Sara's comfortable yet somewhat tight shirt.

After the removal of said shirt was accomplished, Sara lowered her mouth to one of Catherine's taut, and concealed by black, lace beauty, breasts. She began with light kisses that escalated to wet ones she would use to normally kiss her girlfriend…on the mouth. Those then turned into suction sessions, which of course ended in teasing bites.

Sara slipped the bra straps off Catherine's shoulders and maneuvered her hands inside the cups. She lifted each out simultaneously and flicked her tongue across one reddish-pink, hardened nipple.

Catherine moaned long and loud, her hands roaming up Sara's sides and over her shoulder blades. Sara then made the effort to scoop the arching Catherine into her arms and off the mattress for complete and proper removal of the red head's lacy friend.

"Keep going, Sar Sar," Catherine breathlessly passed through her lips as Sara leaned in and drew her head closer down to Catherine's ready and waiting breasts. She stopped inches before to glance at Catherine.

"Sar Sar?" Sara had to understand what it is Catherine had done.

Catherine groaned in frustration, but then decided to laugh low and throatily at the fact the brunette had to know what seemed like everything.

"Yeah, it'll be you're nickname. Yep, whenever you're with me…that's what I'll call you from now on," she smiled and looked down at Sara who gave one of Catherine's nipples a teasing, single lick with a wicked grin as she kept her eyes seductively on her partner.

Catherine moaned though she knew Sara was going to be difficult, so she fought back and opened her legs further, swing-wrapping them around Sara's waist and tightening her grip. She pulled Sara up to her face, their lips mere centimeters apart and each other's breath hitting the other's mouth.

"You are _so _wet," Sara commented to the hot moisture she felt against her waist and groin.

"That's the whole point," Catherine seductively laughed.

Sara smiled and bit her bottom lip before rushing her lips onto Catherine's in a searing kiss that lasted for ten held out seconds.

"You want to know what my point is," Sara asked in pulling away from the kiss.

"Mhm," Catherine replied, her eyes dark with desire as her hands were placed atop Sara's shoulders at the moment.

"To make this as slow and sensual as possible."

Catherine groaned, hating the sound of the word "slow".

"Do you want to know why," Sara grinned, trying to fit back a laugh.

Catherine hesitated, then nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"Because I don't want to fuck you and get it over with. I want to show you all the other things I can do to you without making myself seem impatient and horny as hell, only after you're body."

"It's okay. Do that! It means a lot that you want to take your time, but we can do that later. Another time even. I used to be a dancer, Sara. I think a person objectifying me is okay in my book if there are real feelings within them. And hey, already there."

Sara giggled and gave another single, teasing lick to the opposite nipple, again keeping her eyes on Catherine.

"I love how desperate you are. I love a lot of things about you, Catherine."

When her name rolled off Sara's tongue it was the only time she had ever appreciated her name. It sounded so beautiful as it came tumbling out with several ounces of grace. Sara seemed to have that effect plenty of times on Catherine, which was what made them a good team and able to fall for each other so easily.

"Glad to hear it, now…can we get back to taking our time to make this_ sensual_?"

Sara emitted a throaty laugh and crushed her lips to Catherine's again. Once the kiss had ended, she ran a single finger down Catherine's sternum and to her pant line. She slid her hand inside and felt the tight curls caked in heated liquid, ran her fingers between the folds as she cupped Catherine.

Sara then teased Catherine with nips, licks, sucks, and moans to and against each nipple for an equal amount of time. She then teased Catherine's clit with circular motions and slow rubs.

After what seemed like eternity, Sara kissed Catherine who obliged but was a little too overworked to give her best to said kiss. It was sloppy, but full of emotion. Sara had to follow Catherine's head back as her neck was seriously exposed, but Sara only wanted Catherine's lips at the moment.

Catherine moaned into Sara's mouth as the younger woman slowly brought out her tongue for a little playtime. Once the tips of their tough, moist muscles met Catherine was ready to party, but she couldn't wait any more so her hand lingered down to where Sara's hand was only teasing her. She tightly secured her hand around Sara's; ready to throw it away so she could immediately have what she wanted though settled for controlling Sara's hand.

Sara knew exactly what her girlfriend was trying to do and wouldn't have it. She forced her hand upward and out of Catherine's panties, having gotten rid of her pants a while ago. Catherine groaned and purposely jolted herself against Sara's hand and nether regions of her body.

"Mm," Sara moaned at the feel as Catherine's breath hitched and she emitted a load, pleasurable moan.

Sara then decided she had had it with the games and pushed her own hand further down Catherine, at her opening. Both were panting now and ready for what was to come next and within a few more seconds of harsh swallows and pants against the other's lips, Sara plunged into the warm, wet darkness of her girlfriend.

"Oh, god yes!" Catherine arched her back and bucked her hips into Sara's touch.

"Oh, fuck," Sara breathlessly commented on how amazing, how incredible, it felt to do be inside the lovely red head.

Every pump was slow, all movements like Catherine's arching her back and forcing her head into the pillow were slow. Everything had a loving pace, loving rhythm. Catherine was so close and Sara could feel it. She knew know to finish the job she would have to use a little more of a full court pressure kind of warfare.

Sara quickened her pace and found Catherine was extremely appreciative. She lightly smiled down as Catherine's breathing became more intensified in labor and her face showed the exact response Sara wanted from the start.

Catherine squeezed her eyes shut much in relation to her tightening around Sara's fingers. Several more ins and outs of the younger woman's fingers and Catherine reached her climax.

"Oh…Sara!" As Catherine soon started coming down to the point she could form little words, she uttered a few simple though thoughtful and meaningful words. "I love you."

Sara smiled and hunched over to kiss her girlfriend. "I love you too."

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**_Thanks for reading. And I can't stress this enough, I love reviews! So if you could please get to it! ;)_**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Sorry if the timeline happens to be off, but I wasn't sure who ran the lab prior to Ecklie. :(_**

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Sara sighed with content as she started to stir in bed. She could feel Catherine's warm, naked body tangled with hers and smiled as she peeled open her big brown eyes.

"Mm," Sara moaned while she began lightly running her right hand up and down Catherine's well-exposed, smooth back.

"Best you ever had," Catherine inquired with a smile as she too came around to awakening. Her voice was gravely, laced with subtle seduction as she held her grin and adjusted herself for a feathery kiss with her honey.

"By far," Sara smiled into the next kiss.

Catherine drove her left knee further between Sara's thighs, which caused a thick moan from her girlfriend thus leading to her own verbal form of appreciation. She then felt Sara's lips part and slid her tongue along the younger woman's bottom lip for granted access.

Sara opened her mouth further as indication and Catherine took her chance, deepened the kiss. Their movements were slow yet deliberate and their passionate kisses carried on for several intense minutes.

Then Catherine's cell phone rang.

The red head groaned as she lifted herself of Sara's body and caught the taller woman's sigh. She gave the brunette an apologetic, as well as understanding, look as she got up in search of her pants, her phone in one of its pockets.

Sara straightened herself out on the bed and used the head board to lean her back against for support. She peered around the hotel room and then down at the annoyed, bent over, and still naked CSI.

"Having some trouble," Sara smugly asked as she removed herself from the bed and walked over to the vanity, tearing the pants from atop the mirror. "Not that I don't love you naked on all fours, crawling around on the floor, but I figure it might be important."

Catherine snapped up her head and snatched her jeans from Sara's grip. She rifled through her pockets and reclaimed her phone, pressed talk and answered.

"Willows…ugh, not even twenty minutes? …Come on, Gil, you couldn't swing a later flight? …Damn him! I swear when we get back to Vegas I'm going to murder Ecklie! …Yes, Grissom, I'm serious. No one will be able to find the body before I croak."

Sara gave a half-hardy laugh as she lightly smiled. She knew the call meant goodbye and she was nowhere near ready for Catherine to leave. "I miss you," would not suffice.

Catherine met Sara's gaze and rushed the conversation with her boss. "Listen, if you expect me to make this flight I have to go. I'll see you at the airport."

Sara watched with threatening tears as Catherine trudged toward her with an apologetic expression. "You can always come visit."

"Yeah," Sara scoffed. "When do you think I'll ever have the chance to go to Vegas? I have too much here with the lab…they frown upon vacation. Besides, three days will definitely be enough time with you and Lindsey if they even grant so little. Plus, we're short handed…have been for a while."

"I think you're just making excuses," Catherine smiled and gently ran her fingertips up and down Sara's biceps.

"I wish there weren't so many keeping me from you," Sara focused on the hotel room floor.

"Hey…we can still talk. We'll only have so many miles between us _physically_. Remember…I said I love you and I mean it."

Sara beamed and threw her head up, looked directly into Catherine's bold, blue, shimmering eyes. She nearly ripped Catherine's hair out of her scalp as Sara smashed their lips together, tangled their exposed bodies in the center of the room, the sunshine blazing through the slightly parted and thin curtains. Their molded bodies glowed in the morning's white rays. The hue of the two flashed angelic and their love presented more than obvious.

The light disappeared only when Catherine stared out her plane seat window at the crying Sara pressed against the terminal's glass.

Sara permitted the tears to stain her cheeks and emotion to burn her throat as the flight finally departed.

The magic was gone, the romance faded, the rain poured from brown and blue eyes.

_Bye bye, Beautiful, _they simultaneously thought.

Three months later in her inbox of her e-mail, Sara received one new message. When she read who the sender was, she smiled her glorious gap.

"_Hey, sexy Sidle!_

_I thought I would send you my new PERSONAL e-mail address and of course a damn good picture! : D Take a look!"_

Sara greedily clicked on the attachment and waited for the image to load. The red head was carefree and buried in deep green woods. Sara remembered Catherine mention Lindsey wanting to visit Washington State though the two had no reason to go other than the peaceful weather, compared to desert heat, and calming scenery, compared to furious desert dirt.

Red locks framed her face as she lit up Sara's world with her smile, Lindsey gleefully falling from her mother's arms, the girl seen positioned between her legs as they walked the trial in the woods. It made Sara chuckle.

She clicked "reply" and began typing her message.

"_Perfect picture. Maybe next time you could convince Lindsey to come to Frisco. Golden Gate Park is amazing! Plus, I miss you! /3 And I'd love to finally meet her. Call me Friday any time between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. I'll be waiting. ; ) xoxo_

_P.S.- one kiss and one hug is for Linds!"_

"Hey, Lindsey," Catherine shouted across the hall into her little girl's room.

"Yeah," she enthusiastically screeched as she bounced into the doorway of the study.

"You remember my friend Sara," Catherine asked as she opened her arms and swiveled in the office chair for Lindsey.

"Uh huh," she bobbed her head and leaped into her mother's lap.

"She sends you a hug and a kiss and she can't wait to see you!" She pecked a kiss on Lindsey's forehead.

"Awesome! I feel cool."

Catherine chuckled and squeezed the tiny blonde.

"Well, don't get too excited," Catherine laughed. "She might not be able to come visit soon. We might have to wait a while before she can see you. We'll work something out, but I just thought you would want to know because it involved you."

"Yep, I'm glad you told me. We have to get her here! Does she know about Washington?"

"Yes, she does, sweetie. I tell her everything so there won't be anything you do she won't know about, got it?"

Lindsey pouted and folded her arms across her chest. She huffed, "That's not fair! Now I have to make sure I don't do anything wrong!"

Catherine stuck her tongue out at her daughter and squeezed a tiny bit tighter as the little blonde giggled.

"Tuck me in, mommy," she demanded as she thumped onto the hardwood floor of the room and swished into her bedroom.

Catherine shook her head with a large smile and swayed into Lindsey's room. She spotted the little one curling up with her favorite stuffed animal that was no animal you would find at a zoo. It was one of the wild things from the classic children's story _Where the Wild Things Are._

"Are you all cozy," she opened her smile a bit more and revealed her extraordinary white teeth.

"Uh huh," Lindsey giggled again, smashing her animal tight against her body.

A throaty laugh made its way out of Catherine's mouth. "Goodnight, Linds. Sweet dreams. I love you."

"I love you too, mommy. And…I love, Sara. She sounds so great. I know I've only seen pictures, but the way you talk about her makes the world seem a little more like a fairytale. Is that weird?"

Catherine smiled for God knows how many times that night and pulled the covers barely over Lindsey's chest. She dipped down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "No, sweetheart. I know Sara already loves you as much as you love her, too. Now…get some sleep."

Catherine headed over to the light switch in the girl's room and looked back over her shoulder for a final inspection. She lowered her head with a warming smile and swept her index finger over the switch.

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**_I know it's short, but there's more to it later. I have my final chapter coming into play. I'm not sure it'll be the next one, but I figure you readers should be prepared for the end next chapter. I do have my sequel in the works so it'll be ready for you soon. Already have the first chapter...now to work on the second! And then the cycle continues. _**

**_Thanks for reading and don't forget to write a review!!! :D_**


	11. Chapter 11

**_This chapter is kind of weird, but I wanted to try something. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but I'm on okay terms with the style. This involves more dialogue than descriptiveness. I thought the read would go faster and plus, I have a cold. So...I wanted to get this out in a jiff. I didn't focus on all the technical stuff. So, yeah, I'm not sure if this is the last chapter or not in this story. Like I said, I have a sequel I can post so the story as a whole won't be finished. Give me a reivew and let me know if I should continue with another chapter before my sequel! :D Enjoy._**

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"Friday is the best day of the week," Catherine husked into the phone as her breathing became jagged.

"Tell me about it," Sara panted. "So…how many?"

"Fingers?"

"Uh huh."

"Three."

"Unh."

"How many for you?"

"Four."

"Unh."

"Come on, Cath. Give another a finger a treat for me."

Catherine panted through the phone and gasped once another finger made its entrance.

Sara heard the shortness in Catherine's breathing and instantly pushed faster and harder. She hit the right spot every time.

"Sara…I don't know how much more I can take!"

"What…unh, do you mean?"

"When…will you…be ABLE to, unh, to please me in…ugh, PERSON?"

Sara gasped. "I-I'm working on it."

"How much…LONGER?"

"I…don't know. But…I'm ready to please and pleased right now!"

Within a few more minutes the two came together over the phone. (A new experience for the couple.) After another couple of minutes, they calmed down and resumed regular conversation.

"So…where's Lindsey?"

"Staying with my sister."

"Ah."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at home…thinking about my vacation. But I think I need more than a vacation."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you more if anything comes of it. It's pretty stupid stuff. Lots of fights with my brother."

"Are you okay? You know that guy is a true bastard. He reminds me a lot of Eddie."

"Yeah, I can see that now…what with the details you gave me about your life with that slime ball."

"Sara…are you sure you're okay? You sound a little…hostile toward Mattie."

Pause.

"Sara?"

Another pause.

"Sara, if there's something going on that I should know about…you can tell me! I'd prefer you do. Is everything okay over there?"

"Tell her to stay out of it," a distinct male voice shouted from the background.

"Sara? You still there?"

"Don't touch me, pig! Leave me the fuck alone! No!"

One shriek over the phone and the line was dead. Catherine furrowed her brows and concern covered her face. She had to get to work in twenty minutes, which left no time for her to call Sara back and check in.

"Gil, I think there's something wrong in San Francisco," Catherine cornered her boss in his office.

"There's always something wrong somewhere in the world, Catherine."

"I mean with Sara, nimrod."

"Oh."

Grissom looked up and found he was becoming extremely unsure about the situation Catherine was about to inform him.

"I was talking to her earlier and all of a sudden, she and her brother started yelling at each other. Next thing I know, we disconnected."

"What were you two talking about before all that happened?"

"Um, well, right before the chaos ensued…she told me she had been thinking about taking a vacation and that maybe she needs more than a vacation. I asked her why and she said her and her brother have been having plenty of disagreements. You think that means anything?"

"I'm sure with her past it means a lot. Listen, you've got a simple B and E to deal with so…why don't you just work on that tonight and we'll try calling her back later. How does that sound?"

"Good…I guess. It's just that…I'm nervous. I-I'm afraid. I don't know what to do here and if anything happens…I'll feel responsible."

"She doesn't deserve even a forth of the things she's had to deal with…but life's life. You can't pick your parents. And you certainly can't pick you're brother."

"Dumb ass," she muttered with clear vengeance.

Grissom looked at her questioningly and dropped the paperwork in his hands.

"Oh, Matt, not you."

Grissom gave a nod of understanding and got out of his chair, headed for the door. "We can call her back later, Catherine. I'm just as worried as you are, but there's nothing we can do about it right now."

"What if we call the San Francisco police?!"

"With what evidence? Look, I know this is hard for you…it's hard for me too, but we can't call them about any little thing that might be happening with Sara."

Catherine nodded.

"Understand?"

Catherine nodded again and put her hands to her face. She desperately fought back tears and shook her head to clear the mental images she couldn't bare to think about for even a single moment.

Sara caked in blood. Her wrists showing signs that she was bound. Sara wearing a shirt shoved up to her hips, her underwear picked and pried at with a knife. Sara covered in bruises on her face, on her ankles, her thighs, her stomach. Strangulation marks were her neck should be while her amazing brown eyes are glazed over. Sara: another corpse to place on a cold, gunmetal gray slab in some morgue to rot until a proper burial could be planned, with no help from her older brother.

"I want her to come here! I want her to come to me. Can you arrange that, Gil?'

Catherine was begging as she tugged on her supervisor's shirtfront. She couldn't bear the fact Sara might be in danger and wanting help. She needed to do something and she had been dying to see her darling girlfriend since they parted at the airport.

"I can't do anything right now…" he stared into her pained blue eyes and broken spirit. "But I'll see what I can do."

Catherine let her eyes relaxed closed and lightly rested her head against his chest. "Thank you. Thank you," she kept whispering.

"I'm fine, Catherine, really. I told you, we just yelled at each other for a long time. He hung up on you because he thinks his and my business doesn't involve you, just family. I keep trying to tell him you _are _like family to me, but he keeps shouting over me."

"So…you really are fine?"

"Yes, Catherine," she forced a reassuring chuckle. The reassuring act did little for her what with the bruises around her mouth, making it almost impossible to smile. She was able to get some of the swelling down though and bettered her ways of communication. "I think I might swing by next month, but I'm not sure on all the details yet. Keep your fingers crossed."

"I always have them crossed for you…and of course Lindsey."

"Of course."

They shared a light laugh over the phone.

"I hate being away from you like this."

"Me too."

"One day, Catherine. One day we'll be a family. We'll be together and happy. Lindsey and I will get along and the three of us can do all that good family stuff. I promise…one day. It'll all be ours."

Catherine smiled and shut her eyes, allowed the images to warm her heart and fill her mind.

Lindsey, Sara and her would hang out at the park, enjoying their ice cream. Sara and her would share showers. Sara and Lindsey would have a sort of story time where Lindsey talked about her day at school then beg Sara to tell her a cute little fiction. Catherine and Sara would share a bed, a daughter, a home, and a life together despite what the law says. They didn't need to wear wedding bands to show their love and affection. They didn't need a large church and enormous reception to prove they were in it for as long as they each lived. Everything they could have, they would. One day, as Sara said.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Catherine."

"One day."

Sara smiled and a tear streaked down her burning cheek. "I promise, honey."

**--**

"She's fine, Gil. I talked to her last night after shift. She was surprisingly still awake."

"I called her supervisor, Catherine." He sounded sad. Catherine started to worry again.

"What is it? What did he say?"

"He told me she didn't show for work tonight. He said lately she hasn't been coming in and sometimes when she does…she's wearing make-up. It's unusual for her to wear make-up. You know that."

"Yeah, but…well…is he going to give her time off or what?"

"Catherine, he and I are both concerned with her behavior. It makes me nervous that she's skipping out on work at the lab. She loves being a CSI. It doesn't make any sense."

"What if…oh, my god! What if…" she choked back tears, "what if her brother's been doing more than yelling at her?"

"You think Matt has something to do with her tardiness and absences?"

"She said he was yelling at her a lot and that's all they were doing. It doesn't make any sense that she was still awake when I called her. I would've been asleep by that time if I wasn't so worried about her."

"Well, she could've lied to make sure you didn't feel bad."

"Gil, I want to know what's going on. Either you send me there or I want her here and that's final!"

"Just give it a little more time. I don't think her brother would go as low as beating her. He's aggressive, but I'm sure they would all be empty threats."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm just overreacting. I'll, uh, see you later. I got a new case with Warrick, right?"

"Yeah, 419."

Catherine nodded and scurried off to find her partner for the night.

_The sky was blue and blissful with Sara by her side. Lindsey was off, running around large oak trees. With not a worry in sight, the couple enjoyed their time away from work and all other troubles. _

"_I'm so glad you're finally here," Catherine smiled. The warmth of the sun shined through that smile and it was infectious. Sara soon matched the smile and hugged her significant other. _

"_I'm glad I'm finally here, too. I love Lindsey way more than I thought I would."_

"_I could tell," Catherine laughed. _

_Peaceful atmosphere equaled peaceful lifestyle. _

"_Mommy, I want to go somewhere else now. Can we go to a water park?"_

_Sara laughed and Catherine grabbed the little girl sidling up into her mother's arms. _

"_Sure, sweetie. We've got time. Do you have a place in mind?"_

"_Uh huh," she violently nodded with an adorable smile stretched all across her face. _

"_And where's that," she jiggled the girl in her arms on the picnic blanket._

"_Sea World!"_

_The bouncing in the four year old began and Sara couldn't contain her happiness. She got up on her knees and attacked Lindsey from behind._

"_All right, Linds! Let's go, let's go to Sea World!"_

_Lindsey fell over onto the empty side of the picnic blanket in Sara's arms and Catherine laughed as she clapped her hands with joy. _

"_No, you big giant! Mommy, help! Sara's trying to kill me!"_

"_Grr," Sara feigned her evil status given to her by the little Willows. "Come with me, you precious fairy you!"_

_Catherine stood as Sara threw Lindsey over her shoulder in the Fireman pose with Lindsey punching her back as giggles escaped. "Mommy, do something!"_

"_You're on your own, kid," she stifled a laugh. _

"_No!"_

_Sara stood and jogged toward a picnic table several feet from where their spot was in the luscious green park. She sprawled Lindsey on the top of the light brown wood table. She then began to vigorously tickle Lindsey: laughter torture. _

"_Mom, hehe, Mommy. Stop, can't…breathe…Sara."_

_Sara gave up and allowed the young, sweet, innocent child mercy. "That'll teach you to want to go somewhere right this instant."_

_Catherine shook her head. It was amazing and it was that one day Sara had promised. Sara, Catherine, and Lindsey: finally and forever a family. _

Her biological alarm clock was springing and she awoke to a dark room. She looked at her real alarm clock and sighed with an added grunt of frustration. The digital clock read 4:27 a.m. That was the last time she wanted to have a loving dream and not be able to wake up and live it.

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**_Please review! :) I want to know if I should make a real conclusion to this part of the story or leave it the way it is and go on with the sequel. I'm a little more toward one last chapter, but I'm not sure. I think the sequel will make this work better. Let me know what you think. ;) And thank you for all the reviews so far. :D_**


	12. Chapter 12

**_So I took a day off because I felt like crap earlier and now I'm using some of this free time to give you an update. Do you love me yet, or what? ;)_**

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**Until Vegas... **

**(The Final Chapter)**

Catherine fumbled around the house trying to find something to do since there was no way for her to get to sleep after a dream like that. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed.

_I need to call her. I haven't talked to her since the promise. Jesus, do I feel clingy and paranoid!_

After three rings, the line picked up and Catherine held her breath for a moment.

"Sara?"

"Hey," the brunette's warm tone filtered through the cell phone. "I'm glad you called."

"I'm glad you could answer."

"I always answer," Sara chuckled.

"Yeah, well…"

"Hey…I'm still okay, sweetie. But I'll be even better when I tell you my news!"

"Um, okay," Catherine softened and relaxed. "You are aware of how early it is, right?"

"Yeah, I've had a lot of packing to take care of and I couldn't sleep, so…"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Packing? Sara…are you…?"

"That's the news. I have time off, finally! I'm headed to Vegas!"

"Oh, my God! Sara, that's amazing!"

"I know, I'm so happy right now. Listen, I can't really talk at this hour though. Mattie hates it when I keep him up so…I've got to go, but I'll call you later. Okay?"

"Um, yeah, sure. You just made my day, beautiful."

"You always make mine."

Catherine had the house completely cleaned by seven that morning, just in time to welcome Lindsey to the new day.

"Mommy, why's it so shiny in here," Lindsey asked as she walked down the stairs and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

Catherine laughed. "Because I couldn't sleep and I thought to clean the place. Today's been a good day for me."

"Hmm." Lindsey childishly stumbled into the kitchen and crawled up onto one of the seats at the island. "What's for breakfast?"

"Um, what do you want?"

"I don't know. Can we go somewhere?"

"Sure, sweetie. Hmm, how about IHOP?"

Lindsey smiled and nodded. "Yeah!"

"Okay," Catherine laughed. "Why don't we relax for a little bit, then you can get ready and head out. How does that sound?"

"Good."

"Alright," Catherine smiled at her blonde little angel.

"I'm leaving, Matt."

"What? You can't do that," Matt became furious with his little sister.

"I'm twenty-one years old, Mattie. You can't hold me back anymore. You never really could!"

"Are you going to _her_?"

"What does it matter to you?!"

"She's bad news. I'm telling you, if you walk out that door no one else but me will pick you up when smack your tight, round ass on the hard cement pavement."

"Shut up! I hate when you talk about my ass like that. You're my brother for God's sake! It's not right to refer to my anatomy like that when we're related."

"Dad used to do it all the time," he through their past in her face. "What, am I not good enough to compare to the old man? You're pathetic, you weak, intolerant bitch."

"Fuck off, loser! No one will love _you_. That's the only reason you want to keep me here. You think all your friends would hang around you and put up with your shit day in and day out if it wasn't for me?!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Scary Spice?"

"Prick." She squinted her eyes in a disapproving manner at his current nickname for her. "Steven Sinclair tried to get in my pants two years ago. Kevin Bailey tried to get me to pose nude for him. Said he was going to be a photographer. James Proctor swiped his tongue over every section of exposed skin of mine when I was going for a walk to clear my head, in a tank top and not-to-short-but-still-short shorts. The perfect time to get what he wanted. On top of that, you're 'best' friend in the entire universe cornered me on a cable car!"

"Those are all lies! They would never do anything like that. They really are my friends, which is more than I could ever say for you. You're the dysfunctional one."

Sara cocked an eyebrow. "Who said dysfunctional, Matt? …I think you're losing it. And that's one of the reason's why I'm going. There's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Oh yeah? Well, I think I'll be the judge of that." He advanced on her and jumped in front of the thick, wood door. "Admit that you're wrong."

"You and dad always told me not to lie. If I admit to being wrong…that would be a what? A lie."

"Just shut up and take it back, stupid bitch."

"Okay, listen to me, punk. You're really not understanding the concept of me getting the hell out of Frisco," she slammed him into the wall beside the front door and opened her way out of his life.

"Sara, Sara," Matt tried to hold her attention. He grabbed her arm and yanked her back toward him. "If you go, I'll take away everything you're running away toward."

"Yeah, right."

**--**

Catherine watched her little one clear her plate. "Wow, you are really hungry in the mornings."

"Mmhmm," she smiled at her mother and drank some chocolate milk provided in a small, children's plastic cup with a bendy straw.

Just as things seemed fine and cooling off, the ex walked in and made an arrogant beeline to their table. "Hey, pumpkin. How's my little princess doing?"

"Eddie, what are you doing here," Catherine asked with more shock then aggravation.

"I thought I would get something to eat. What, a man can't have breakfast because his ex-wife likes to eat in the morning?"

Catherine shook her head, disgusted and annoyed with the scum at their table. She looked over at her daughter and realized the youngest Willows was uncomfortable. "Honey, are you alright?"

Lindsey peered at Catherine like a deer in headlights. "Um, yeah."

Catherine released a mental sigh and tried to regain her peace and balance when a young blonde with loose curls approached.

"Eddie, we got a table," the woman said with a fake smile at seeing the family picture in front of her. Catherine looked down at the blonde's right side. The woman had her hand lightly draped over a little boy's shoulder. The boy seemed shy and had somewhat tight, natural sandy blonde curls. He was cute, but he was the tramp's kid.

"Daddy, who are they," Lindsey pointed at the woman younger than Catherine by at least five years and her child that was no more than a year older than Lindsey.

"Baby, what have I told you about pointing?" Catherine gently slapped Lindsey's directing finger down toward her plate.

"It's not nice?"

"Yes, sweetie. So stop it…please."

"Uh," Eddie became awkward again. "This is Charlene. She, uh, works at a, um, restaurant nearby my apartment."

"Hooters," Catherine callously inquired as she shot Eddie an evil glare as he came to stand and take a single step to his apparent girlfriend.

Eddie had a look that told Catherine her assumption was correct and she had to give a feral grin.

"And this, uh, this little fella here is, um, Bryce. He's, uh, our son."

Eddie had said "our son" low enough to feel secure about who didn't hear and found his shoes interesting. Unfortunately, Catherine had caught the important bit of information and her eyes bulged like bunny on crack.

"Excuse me? How the hell could he be yours? Lindsey's _younger _than him, I'm sure."

"Uh, well, funny story actually."

"Oh boy, am I going to love this or what," Catherine sarcastically quipped as she folded her arms over her chest. "I'm listening."

"Eddie, they aren't going to hold our table all day and Bryce is really hungry, aren't you Bryce?"

"Mmhmm," the little boy nodded.

"Cat, can't we talk about this later? Maybe, uh, sometime when it's more private."

"Where no one can hear you scream or testify against me? You know what? That sounds perfect. I'll call you. Come on, Linds, let's get out of here."

"But mommy, I'm not done with my chocolate milk," she squeaked.

"We can take it with us. Now let's go," Catherine extended her hand for Lindsey to take and lead her little girl to the cash register to pay the bill.

"I can't wait to see you," Sara smiled into the phone.

"Me neither… I haven't told Lindsey yet."

"What? Why not," Sara started to panic.

"Calm down, honey. I just don't know how to tell her that you're coming here. And don't even get me started on how I'm going to tell her about us being a couple. But she's heard everything about you, sweet cheeks."

"Sweet cheeks? Huh, I didn't know you liked my ass enough to use it as a pet name."

Catherine smiled and hid half her blush.

"I don't have anyone to tell everything about you to, but if I did, I _know _they would be shoving rolled tub socks down my throat to shut up…sugar lips."

Catherine giggled and bit her bottom lip. "Can it, my lovely."

They shared a laugh.

"I'll be there soon enough, but I'm not leaving town just yet. I'm staying at one of my coworker's place for a few days. There are a few things I need to take care of before I completely pack up camp."

"I understand," Catherine's smile hardly faltered. She was still warm and honestly was understanding of Sara's predicament. "Just make sure to call me."

Sara's smile widened. "I'll never forget, beautiful."

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**_Okay, this, I believe, is the last of this story. I really didn't want to make this chapter and wanted to go ahead with the sequel, but some people though it best I add another. As I started writing I thought of more conflicts and I'm sorry if you want to know about the whole Eddie thing now. But don't worry, that will eventually make its way into the sequel. _**

**_SO SEND ME A REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! :D_**


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